I just had to tell SOMEONE

[Zonoma]

and my family thinks I'm crazy for wanting to celebrate, but....

Tonight was the first night my 8 week old pullets put themselves to bed in their own coop!!!! It feels frighteningly like the first time my children slept through the whole night.

I went out at 9pm (dusk) and there they were: all 14 of them cozied up on their roost in the coop. All I had to do was shut them in and lock them up safe and sound.

I'm one proud chickie mama!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

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That IS a big deal!!

If your family members were the ones responsible for chasing them around like Rocky, they'd appreciate your relief and happiness that they finally figured it out themselves!

edited to add: If you keep chickens confined to the coop for a week or two BEFORE letting them out, then let them out into JUST the RUN for another week or two, you will find that they are "roost trained," that is, they have been taught where to go at dusk and won't ever need help finding the way to bed (or to the nest boxes, for that matter!).

 

[ChicwannaB]

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Happy for you...

 

[so lucky]

Congratulations! Do they make bedtime noises? Like whiney cries to each other? Mine do when they are ready for bed, and for a few moments after the bright lights go out.

 

[Sorin]

I understand! I have 11 right now at 7 weeks old that I'm hoisting into the coop nightly!

 

[ADozenGirlz]

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What bright lights? Mine meander into the run and coop at dusk and take their places on the roosts before it gets too dark to see. Chickens can't see in poor lighting. They're probably crying due to being distressed when their world goes from light to complete darkness as it's not a natural progression and they may not be settled in yet.

 

[kemclaughlin]

No more chasing chickens every night!!!

I love the noises that my chicks make as they are settling down for the night. It's so sweet, like listening to my kids whisper before they fall asleep...

 

[Dannee]

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That makes me smile.....I remember when my girls put themselves up the first time....I did a happy dance all the way back to the house...my family giggled at me....don't know what I'm going to do with the first egg that's laid

 

[Zonoma]

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Alas, I'm one of THOSE people. I got the coop but didn't quite have the run finished. They stayed in the coop only for a few days before the heat hit and then it was either let them free range in my yard or have roasted chicken (I think that probably tastes better without feathers, though). We finally did get the run mostly done, though. Not quite predator safe (don't worry, the coop is!) yet but good enough for corralling the pullets. Tonight was the first night they were confined to the run at bedtime. I turned the tiny coop light on and went inside to see if they'd 'get it'. AND THEY DID! Tomorrow I'll finish digging the stones around the perimeter and put the bird netting on top but I'm pretty excited to have even the fencing hung.

ETA: grammar is good

 

[ChicwannaB]

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