In a pullet pile...

[Lilion]

So I got these girls August 22. They were just well feathered out, about 8 weeks old. We had a tiny coop, 4x4 and about 2 feet high. They didn't seem too mind, but they were little. Sometimes they slept in it and sometimes they slept in the run, huddled together.

We just got them in the big coop yesterday and it's way bigger...7x7 and 7 feet high, so huge compared to the other. They seemed fine today. They eat like there's no tomorrow. They aren't any more skittish than they've ever been. But I just checked on them and they're in a tiny pile behind their waterer.

Over in that little back corner. Is this a comfort thing? Are they okay? They'll eventually get comfortable and use the roosts, right?

I just want to make sure there's nothing I should do that I haven't been.

Also, when can I expect them to start laying? I
don't have boxes yet.

Thank you,!

 

[BarnyardChaos]

It's a comfort thing, yes. They'll eventually use the roosts. They should start laying somewhere between 22-26 weeks, but some breeds lay as early as 18 weeks, and some as late as 32 weeks. At about 18 weeks, start offering oyster shell with their chick feed, or switch to layer feed.

 

[Lilion]

They should start laying somewhere between 22-26 weeks, but some breeds lay as early as 18 weeks, and some as late as 32 weeks.

So...I'm guessing them about 15-16 weeks now. The farmer who gave them to me wasn't sure how old they were. They still seem so small compared to the adult chickens he had. So...maybe I'll get eggs for Christmas.

Glad to find out I haven't traumatized them. I was a bit concerned.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

If that's so, 15-16 weeks, they should be using the roosts by now. So maybe they're just doing their baby chick thing, since they haven't had older birds to show them how - and maybe just a bit scared of the new environment.

You will maybe need to place them on the roosts yourself for a week or so.

 

[Lilion]

If that's so, 15-16 weeks, they should be using the roosts by now. So maybe they're just doing their baby chick thing, since they haven't had older birds to show them how - and maybe just a bit scared of the new environment.

You will maybe need to place them on the roosts yourself for a week or so.

I'm guessing at their age. The farmer didn't know and I assume that August 22 they were 8 weeks because they were fully feathered. That sounds right, right?

Their other coop had a perch about 6 inches high. It was too low to fly at all. Maybe I should give them a few days... maybe a week? Checking and seeing if they go up? Maybe I should put a ladder up to the roost?

 

[BarnyardChaos]

Give it some time. Chickens generally like to get to the highest perch they can reach.

 

[3KillerBs]

Chickens hate change so it will take them a bit to adapt.

Once they get used to their lovely new space they'll probably get up on the roost by instinct.

 

[Isadora]

I would move the waterer out from the wall more so they have more space if they sleep there.
They're not traumatized....they're just unused to the new space.
They shouldn't need a ladder or anything for the roosts.
If you like, you can go out after dark and place them up there, or wait it out. It's natural behavior to roost and they'll do it eventually.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Most chicks are fully feathered around 4 weeks, almost certainly by 5 weeks old. Those do not look all that old. I think you are overestimating their age.

As far as roosting, they don't have to. Some chickens are quite happy to not ever roost. If they want to, they will. I don't care where mine sleep as long as it is someplace predator safe and not in my nests. If you feel that they have to roost, you can set them up on the roosts after it is too dark for them to see to hop down, they should get the message pretty soon. But I let mine work that out on their own. They always do.

Since chickens often do like to sleep in the highest places possible make your nests lower than your roost. You may need to raise your roost, your pullets can handle higher roosts easily, but if your nests are lower that roost is fine. As far as I'm concerned one of the very few rules with chickens is to make the roosts higher than the nests.

I would install the nests now, two should be plenty. If I'm going to have problems with the nests, like them sleeping in them or scratching the bedding, fake eggs, and real eggs out, I want to know that before real eggs start getting affected. If you run into any problems with the nests once they are installed let me know and we can chat.

There is no way to know when they will start laying. When I was in Northwest Arkansas across the border from you I had some pullets start laying the first week of December and I did not supplement lights. There is a reasonable chance you will see an egg or two before the end of the year or they may all wait until the nicer days of spring. You just don't know.

 

[Lilion]

Most chicks are fully feathered around 4 weeks, almost certainly by 5 weeks old. Those do not look all that old. I think you are overestimating their age.

I was totally guessing based on a Google search. So they could definitely be younger. They still seem only about half the size of an adult chicken.

. If you feel that they have to roost, you can set them up on the roosts after it is too dark for them to see to hop down, they should get the message pretty soon

I don't really care...I just expected it more than anything. They definitely like to be up on things, right now, unfortunately, it's their feeder and waterer. I'm hoping they'll figure the roosts out just to keep those cleaner. They haven't gone near that corner.

There is no way to know when they will start laying. When I was in Northwest Arkansas across the border from you I had some pullets start laying the first week of December and I did not supplement lights

This coop doesn't have any light. The shed itself doesn't. I figured if I absolutely had to I could run a really long extension cord if it were ridiculously cold, but it normally doesn't here. I guess I could do solar. I'll have to think about that.

I took them a treat of chopped carrots, celery leaves, sunflower seeds and eggshells. They are mostly ignoring it, but that's par for the coarse. They so far have completely ignored ripe tomatoes and even a fresh peach! About the only thing I've thought they ate besides their feed is dandelion, plantain and clover I picked from the yard. I say thought because it disappeared... I didn't see them eat.

It's an adventure.