I am a BAD CHICKEN MOMMY!!! :(

Hangin Wit My Peeps

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OH I feel SO bad for my little girls! Tonight is their first night outside in their coop. I went back in the coop three times before I finally decided I could NOT spend the night out there with them
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I spent literally HOURS making sure I had all the cracks and stuff covered well so nothing would get my girls. The little hen door has two layers of hardware cloth stapled to the hole PLUS I put strips of wood around the edge of that and nailed it on so nothing could rip the screen off. I could not even budge that wood...nothing else will. I still feel so bad! Spending literally hours in with them really REALLY got them super friendly...in ONE night! I mean my salmon Faverolle jumped up in my lap, she hated me before! I pet her and she stayed and enjoyed it. My brown shy sex link! SHE jumped up on my lap! This was only ONE night of sitting and talking with them.

They LOVE their new coop in the day light but boy once I turned their light out for the night it was like I was killing them! THey were all crying and screaming for me to come back. I went back in, turned on the light and stayed with them another 1/2 hour. My dad came over and asked if I was going to spend the night with them! lol I was about ready to cry it was so sad...they all crowded by the little chicken door when I would leave like they were crying for their mommy.
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That worked THREE times...finally at 10pm I decided it was time to get them a few night lights and went back in the coop, plugged those in, and sat in my chair and turned out their lights once again. I sat there another 15 min in the dark just to see how they did. This time they weren't quite so noisy but then I made a noise rolling my tongue at them, and everyone became suddenly quiet! Instantly! lol They were all crowding on one another in a corner. I just hope they are all right over night. I'm going to be running my butt out there right when the sun comes up I can tell ya that! I'm so worried about them I just no I"m not going to get any sleep tonight! How do you people do it when you have to put your babies outside!!
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My little chickies first three nights were like that. My DH laughed so hard I thought he would cry. He said he should look me out there with them so they would shut up. So now if anyone peeps at me or anything he starts laughing and saying mama mama
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It sounds like you are a GREAT chicken mommy, not a bad one!! I felt the same way when my 3 girls moved outside to their coop 3 weeks ago. I was out there every night for the first week, making sure they were getting in bed on time, calm, etc.... Finally, I feel better and they are doing fine!! (I'm still out there every night, but my fears have eased up!!) It's all good, they should be fine.
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Awww..your babies love you! Aren't they sweet?

I put my three youngest chicks out tonight with the older girls in the coop and just got back in the house from making the trek out to the coop one last time to check on them. The little ones are still a little skiddish of the six older girls so they were in the corner but looked all settled in for the night.

Let us know how your babies do!

What part of central WI are you from? My DH is from Tomah....
 
Our first night in the coop experience was very similar to yours. We had ours in a brooder in the house and moved them out to the coop at 2 weeks old. I almost brought the whole crew back in the house the first night because they acted so scared. I got up several times in the middle of the night with a flash light and checked on them the first 3 or 4 nights. I finally realized all I was doing was annoying them by interrupting their sleep!

You're a good chicken mommy. You're just experiencing a little "empty nest" syndrome
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They'll be just fine. Let them figure it out on their own. Chances are they will adjust to this far easier than you will!

Penny
 
Chances are they will adjust to this far easier than you will!

Oh you sure got that right! They are ALL fine this morning. Running and playing like nothing is wrong. They sure love the extra room in the day time. Not so much at night though. The one time I went out to check on them and peeked in the window I seen them all crowded in one little corner on top of each other!​
 
Just make sure that if we should get a little cool snap that you have a brooder lamp ready. They will crowd each other for comfort but if it gets to cool at night they can crush the ones on the bottom trying to stay warm. This will even happen with fully feathered young chickens.. Unfortunately I know this from experience..
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Since you are in WI there are still those few chances for 40s to 50 degree nights so just have something ready for real cool nights. Congrats on the happy peeps and you made it through your first night . Jenn
 

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