Inhabiting Chateau Le Cluck...

[Hotspurious]

Over the past few weeks I've moved the chicks from inside the house to
the garage. Then, I slowly backed off of the brooder heat lamp, effectively
weaning them off of full heat.

All the while I've provided my chicks opportunities outside; hours here and
there when sunny and temps were above 60 degrees (Fahrenheit for those
not in the contiguous 48).

The chicks are 7 weeks old tomorrow, feathered (or mostly so), and weather
here in my area (central coastal CA, but not within the SF rim) is experiencing
daily temps in the 60s and 70s. Nights are in the high 40s and 50s.

Several days now they've inhabited the new coop; but no nights. I've also
moved the brooder light to the coop in anticipation of their move.

Questions: Is it time? Should my backyard flock inhabit the Chateau?

Hotspurious
Walnut Creek, CA

 

[Chick Charm]

Yep.

You could have put them out there 3 weeks ago more than likely. Oh, and Love your avatar.

Wish you the best.

 

[Hotspurious]

Thx Chick Charm!

I thought that that was the case but... This is our first run with chickens. I grew
up with them as a boy in Kansas but they inhabited the chicken house and the
barn; there wasn't much to do. No brooders. No heat lamps. Nothing but momma
chicken and the elements.

I don't even recall feeding them? I think they largely fed, in fact, off of spillage
from the grain bin or out in the field on combine dropped millet or beans?

Navigating the waters of modern backyard flocks, I'm, admittedly, a bit "over
cautious".

The Chateau is a fortress. I was going to build a barn-like coop, but my better
3/4s wouldn't hear of it. It had to be "more-city and less-country". So I
compromised and designed (what I believe to be) a rustic version of an SF
'painted lady'.

My wife immediately took to calling it: Chateau Le Cluck. Accordingly, she's
not finished with it and I think it'll sport some white framing and flower boxes
(or so I'm told). I've got to figure out how to include spent wine bottles; too
many of which are sitting about the property taking in the sun (we are in wine
country, dyk?)


An aside: I've yet to set the Jayhawk weathervane. Oh-but-its-a-com'n, believe
you me! (After I build the cupola...)

Thanks again for the response! I'm sure I'll be up all night wondering if a local
skunk or coon is eyeing my ladies. Dadgum rascals!

Hotspurious
Walnut Creek, CA

Gratuitous pic...