I am too soft, having hard time putting my chickens outside...

[thndrdancr]

Some days back, someone else was wanting to know how to put their chickens outside.

Boy, do I relate. Between procrastinating on finishing the coop, the weather, fear of having my girls outside, etc, I have let them stay in at night.
Its gotten to be routine, 6 am, I jump up, grab up Red, and Fussy follows me out to the pen, and I put Red in, give her some goodies, so Fussy goes in too. (also feed, water, etc, thats a given and several times thruout the day)

Well, then..in the evening, I let them out for an hour or more to play in the yard. Well tonite, it starting getting dark, Fussy wants IN..and I have to get treats to get Red in cuz she doesnt really care if its dark or not, she is PLAYING. (I am sure she would notice eventually, she has terrible night vision!). lol

IF we stay out too late, Fussy cries. She whines, she stands at the door. She goes out to try to herd Red, then gives up and goes back to the door, crying the whole time. She also likes to hop on momma's (me) shoulder just to make sure she is extra safe.

Well, tonite, she hopped on my shoulder and I started to go in the house...and Red wasnt coming. Fussy had proceeded to jump on me, and it was a lil later than usual, quite dark. So...I started to go back out to herd Red in...well...I had the chicken dance done on my back, shoulder and head. She cried, squawked, clucked, did circles but she wasnt jumping off. She did the full wedding chicken dance right there on top of me. She wasnt hurting ME, but she sounded like she was gonna lay a cow right then and there. Mom even came in to see what the ruckus was and why I was killing my chicken? We did NOT want to go back OUT THERE to the scary world.

Fam all think she will die of a broken heart or fling herself til death if I leave her out there. She very well might, she is flighty in the extreme and she flings herself against the box I have inside if she is spooked (which is frequently), altho its soft cardboard so she cant hurt herself. I have it so she can just jump out when she wants, since she is such a nutcase.

The other lil one I had, the crossbeak, I couldnt even put her in a pen, cuz the same thing happened when I started to leave her, if I wasnt around, she would fling herself against the wire trying to get to me. She was definitely a problem child. After she died, Fussy took on some of her crazy traits. sigh.....

I dont think I have to heart to hear her crying in the coop...sheesh....

 

[SpottedCrow]

Been there done that...You can do the same like you'd do with a puppy. Put something that has your scent on it, or something that you wear all the time and put it in the coop for Fussy. That may make her feel more secure.

 

[chickbea]

You could always drag a chaise lounge and your sleeping bag out there for the first couple of nights with them. That's what I did when I had raccoons trying to move in earlier this summer. My neighbors, who already think I'm the crazy chicken lady, probably really thought I had lost my marbles when they saw me sleeping in the chicken run!

 

[barg]

Ok, Birds can't smell, so forget that.
Sleeping outside, too much trouble, here is the ultimate answer.
Its a secret that only parents know so those of you lurkers without kids, please stop reading.
This is confidential information for members or parents only.

Television.

Simple isn't it.
Just get your chickens a nice HD flat screen and hook it up out there.
You can put on their favorite television show, or if you prefer, a video of yourself.
Hek, I bet even your neighbors might join them and watch.

You think im jokeing, and maybe I am, but it might even work.