Just Another Newbie....

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ChickenMama18

ChickenMama18

Songster
10 Years
Aug 31, 2009
326
4
119
Nor Cal
Well, we finally bought our first home and as soon as we got settled we purchased nine chicks to celebrate. We have five buff orphingtons, three bantams, and one americauna. We built our own coop out of materials we had around already. I can't wait to post some pictures. It may get a few laughs...it's a bit redneck looking if you know what I mean, but it works and is nice and strong. The chicks spent their first night out in the coop last night and we already had a cat prowling around. Sigh...those are our babies! Go away!

Question: Should we put them in the coop every night? Will they eventually put themselves to bed there? It's safer and has insulation to keep them warmer (although that's relative since we live in California). Will they automatically use the coop for egg laying or might they choose to lay eggs all over the run?

As you can see...questions, questions, questions and I need more time to read this site! LOL! Meanwhile my kids are loving the chicks and my daughter plans to do 4-h with them. Whoo-hoo...can't wait for fresh eggs. They are about one month old right now.
 
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Just want to say hello and Welcome! I put my chickens to bed every night and they do finally go in the coop by theirselves. I always make sure though and lock the Pop Door. There is a great page on here for basic chicken care, you'll wanna check it out. Good luck with your babies, they are addicting and you'll of course NEED more soon. HenZ
 
Thanks so much! There is so much information on here. I'm really looking forward to getting to know everyone and of course learning more and more about chickens. There is so much to learn!

I'm glad they will eventually go in by themselves. How come you still lock the door if they are going in by themselves? Just wondering...wouldn't they then let themselves out in the morning when they wake up? Yes? No?

Oh man...I'm such a newbie! LOL!
 
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from washington state!
I can't answer too many of your questions, as I am new to this chicken thing myself, my chickens are about 2 months old. They do put themselves to bed every night, I just started by closing them in the coop at night, and now they just go in when it starts to get dark.
 
Do you just leave the door open and then they go out when they wake up in the morning or do you lock them in at night?
 
Welcome to the wonderful world of Chicken-Addiction! You are in good company here......we're all crazy (about chickens, of course). I am a newbie too and I've learned soooo much on this site, and met some very nice helpful people. Keep in touch, POST PHOTOS! Many of us require a daily "fix" of photos. You'll know what I mean soon.

Be blessed and buy more chickens.
 
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from WI. I started with chickensa few months ago....already so hooked on them!! Once I moved my girls to the outdoor coop (can't live in the house forever...) I kept them in the coop for a couple of days and night. Then I let them out in the run during the day and put them in the coop when it got dark. Closed the run and the coop door. They were still fairly small and it took them a few days to figure out how to get down the ladder. After about a week of helping them in and out, they had it figured out and put themselves to bed at night. I still closed the coop door every night. I have since reinforced the screen door for the pen and keepthe door from coop to pen open so the girls can get out in the morning. But I wanted to make sure that the run/pen is predator proof (have owls, hawks, cats, coyotes, racoons etc.) I still check every night that everybody is tucked in. If I would not have decidedto convert the shed into a henhouse, I would close the coop door again when the weather gets colder.....
 
Thanks for all the feedback and welcomes! I'm hopeful that they will eventually use the coop and tuck themselves in. We are all excited about the chickens...we just sit out there and watch them and their behaviors. One broke a tail feather that was a blood feather and the others were picking on her so we had to seperate. Sigh...makes me sad...but hopefully she'll be better soon!
 

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