So the 19 chicklets were getting a bit crowded in their "junior camp coop" as they are growing, and only about two weeks shy of being 16 weeks old and truly, officially ready to integrate with the 9 Big Girls and 2 roos. We've been letting them mingle throughout the day, or at least part of the day, as the Big Girls daily escape to the Great Free-Rangeing Wild Blue Yonder, and the Chicklets satisfy themselves with investigating the Ladies' Lair, aka the Big Girls' hangout, or the Big House, the Chicken Coop. What luxury! What majesty! It has nice, roomy, wooden roosts! A window, oh my! And a high enough ceiling the humans can actually stand up in! And best of all, Nesting boxes waiting to be used, woo-hoo!
But come bedtime last night, the Big Girls moved back into the Big Hen House and the chicklets were completely lost. We had closed the door to their little shed to see if they would nest in the Hen House with the Big Girls, but nope. They roosted on the ground, on top of the storage shed and even on top of the fences. So in sympathy we opened the door and they rushed in, crowded into the small shed they've been in, this over-crowded tenement they've dwelt in since they were about 5 weeks old. Cozy, but crowded. So DH and I let them settle a few minutes, then rescued them. We unpacked them, one at a time, in the dark. Gently, I picked them up, right-side up, and placed them in DH's waiting hands. He then carefully placed each one in the Big House. They fluttered a little, there was some confusion and a protest or two, but they all found a spot on the roosts with little trouble.
Tonight we were prepared to do it all again. But we just closed the doors to their little storage unit about 5 pm. and observed. Would they roost on top of the fence again as they had the night before? Would they park on the ground? No... they were all in the hen house, jousting for positon, happy as clams to be in their roomy, new digs! They learned their new location in just one night!
The Big Hen House is 8x10... the little storage unit is about 6x6 and maybe 4' tall. They are only in it at night, i open them up about 5:30 am, and on hot days it would get like an oven in there due to lack of insulation. It worked great for the babies in cold and wet weather though.
My big regret is that I can't stand up in this little storage kit, but it was what we could afford at the time. It will be useful to store chicken feed in and other chicken-related things like lamps and brooders and feeders and such. And our next batch or chooks which I think will be Wellsummers
I hear good things about them. But, sigh, that'll be next spring!
So happy! I have such
smart birds!
This is the big coop. It is partially shaded by a volunteer wild grape vine.
This is me with the little coop. We just got the chicklets moved out of it. They weren't complaining, but it was getting too small for them! Now we can store their food, medicines, grit, oyster shell, etc, in a clean dry place where it won't get pooped on
But come bedtime last night, the Big Girls moved back into the Big Hen House and the chicklets were completely lost. We had closed the door to their little shed to see if they would nest in the Hen House with the Big Girls, but nope. They roosted on the ground, on top of the storage shed and even on top of the fences. So in sympathy we opened the door and they rushed in, crowded into the small shed they've been in, this over-crowded tenement they've dwelt in since they were about 5 weeks old. Cozy, but crowded. So DH and I let them settle a few minutes, then rescued them. We unpacked them, one at a time, in the dark. Gently, I picked them up, right-side up, and placed them in DH's waiting hands. He then carefully placed each one in the Big House. They fluttered a little, there was some confusion and a protest or two, but they all found a spot on the roosts with little trouble.
Tonight we were prepared to do it all again. But we just closed the doors to their little storage unit about 5 pm. and observed. Would they roost on top of the fence again as they had the night before? Would they park on the ground? No... they were all in the hen house, jousting for positon, happy as clams to be in their roomy, new digs! They learned their new location in just one night!
The Big Hen House is 8x10... the little storage unit is about 6x6 and maybe 4' tall. They are only in it at night, i open them up about 5:30 am, and on hot days it would get like an oven in there due to lack of insulation. It worked great for the babies in cold and wet weather though.
My big regret is that I can't stand up in this little storage kit, but it was what we could afford at the time. It will be useful to store chicken feed in and other chicken-related things like lamps and brooders and feeders and such. And our next batch or chooks which I think will be Wellsummers
I hear good things about them. But, sigh, that'll be next spring!So happy! I have such
smart birds!
This is the big coop. It is partially shaded by a volunteer wild grape vine.
This is me with the little coop. We just got the chicklets moved out of it. They weren't complaining, but it was getting too small for them! Now we can store their food, medicines, grit, oyster shell, etc, in a clean dry place where it won't get pooped on
