I Chickened Out

[harmonyp]

I'm in Northern CA. It's unseasonably cool right now - days 60's to 70's, and nights going as low as high 40's.

Last weekend my babies were 5 and 6 weeks old. I decided it was time to move them from inside the house / brooder, to inside the coop (for which an extension is being built as I got twice the chicks I anticipated).

Of course we went from sunny weather to pouring rain the last weekend. Chicks did fine Satur-day and night. Half-way through Sunday, midday, they all piled onto one another and were dead silent, and I freaked out and brought them right back into the house.

I don't want to run an extension cord out to the coop for heat, and I use solar lights at night. They have been off artificial heat for 3 weeks now, and the room they're in stays around 70 degrees. I'm planning to bring them out during the days this weekend, and back in at night and feel this out.

The day-time piling looked very unnatural to me, especially during the day.

Thoughts?

 

[DobieLover]

I'm in Northern CA. It's unseasonably cool right now - days 60's to 70's, and nights going as low as high 40's.

Last weekend my babies were 5 and 6 weeks old. I decided it was time to move them from inside the house / brooder, to inside the coop (for which an extension is being built as I got twice the chicks I anticipated).

Of course we went from sunny weather to pouring rain the last weekend. Chicks did fine Satur-day and night. Half-way through Sunday, midday, they all piled onto one another and were dead silent, and I freaked out and brought them right back into the house.

I don't want to run an extension cord out to the coop for heat, and I use solar lights at night. They have been off artificial heat for 3 weeks now, and the room they're in stays around 70 degrees. I'm planning to bring them out during the days this weekend, and back in at night and feel this out.

The day-time piling looked very unnatural to me, especially during the day.

Thoughts?

View attachment 1786391

They got chilly. Make them a huddle box they can all fit in and they will be fine. They will be much better off in the fresh air.

 

[IamRainey]

We got pelted with that rain yesterday too. Real HARD rain that's so unusual in SoCal!

Glad your babies made it through.

I put my chicks out in the coop ASAP with a Mama Heating Pad in their own protected kennel. I think it's best to raise them alongside the existing flock to ease their introduction. Are you sure you don't want to run an extension cord out there?

 

[Chickassan]

Chicks pile that's what they do. My guys were piling yesterday and it was close to 90 degrees and they're 7 weeks old and free ranging.
Don't freak, chicks are weird.

 

[DobieLover]

We got pelted with that rain yesterday too. Real HARD rain that's so unusual in SoCal!

Glad your babies made it through.

I put my chicks out in the coop ASAP with a Mama Heating Pad in their own protected kennel. I think it's best to raise them alongside the existing flock to ease their introduction. Are you sure you don't want to run an extension cord out there?

The OPs chicks are completely feathered and don't need supplemental heat. A huddle box would be fine.
Another very strong possibility for them to have been piled up and dead silent was because something had just frightened them. That will get any chicken to freeze to try to figure out where the threat is coming from.

 

[Chickassan]

Yep, the piling is security it mimics the feeling of being under mom's bottom.

The OPs chicks are completely feathered and don't need supplemental heat. A huddle box would be fine.
Another very strong possibility for them to have been piled up and dead silent was because something had just frightened them. That will get any chicken to freeze to try to figure out where the threat is coming from.

 

[Willowspirit]

I had more or less the same thing happen. I waited until good weather to move them out and then two days later it poured rain. They snuggled down in the nest box and even crept outside from time to time.