Letting Chicks Outside

[grandmas Nest]

Okay I am new to chickens, I have had 10 layers I bought as Pullets so they were easy. We added another 8 x 8 coop to our exsiting 8 x 8 coop so I have two or can open gate and have one big coop. Same with the outside runs. They are totally seperate now. My babies are a month old today. I just moved them to thier coop yesturday with their heat light. I should finish their run tomorrow. They are not completely feathered yet, but gaining fast. At night its around 40, today was 65. I thought I would give them a couple days in the coop before letting them in run. I am just going to block off under the coop until I am sure they will go back in the coop when night comes or I would never catch them under it. Its about 19 inches high under it for shade in the summer. But Pop Door is like 3 feet from ground so have a ramp they have to use to get in and out. Does this sound alright to let them out for a few hours in the evening for a few days to make sure they go back in?

 

[New2TheCoop]

I'm new to chickens as well. My chickens will go inside at night if the light is on in the coop. If I forget to turn it on, they all crash on the ramp. But it is really easy to catch sleeping chickens! Lol... As far as getting them from under the coop, I use a broom & shoo them out and catch them that way. I hope this helps

 

[Tala]

They will move back to the lamp at dusk simply because it's light. You can use the same trick to lure older chickens into a new coop.
I WOULD check on them the first few evenings until you are SURE they get the hang of the ramp. If they can't figure out how to get back up it, they might chill overnight, especially if one gets left out alone.

I have chicks out in all kinds of weather, with a lamp of course, but for chicks I try to avoid using the ramp because I work a lot of evenings and don't get home until midnight or so.....so I wouldn't be there to make sure they made it all back inside. I have several chick tractor pens that don't involve a ramp --- build for what you need

ETA: I use a dusk to dawn timer so the lamp is always on even if I'm not home. I only worry about the bulb going out. Ya gotta worry about SOMETHING, it's part of having chicks!

 

[plucker]

I was thinking that a solar light might work for this. May not last all night but would work at dusk to get the chickens inside the coop.

 

[packmomma]

We have a light in our coop that is on a timer. Hoping to go to solar this year...I hate that cord!
My chicks have been outside for three days straight. The first day they didnt come out till like 3 hours later. Nighttime I had to put them in because they were all sitting under the ramp huddled together. Second day they came out an hour later, nighttime they crashed on the ramp entrance so I put them in. This is day three. They came out immediately so hopefully

they will put themselves to bed tonight. I do have one hen with them but it depends on her mood how nice she is to them. I think she is realizing the other chickens hate her and these look up to her so might as well love them lol. Hate to see her stink eye when I add 6 more in a couple weeks lol.

 

[chicmom]

That sounds perfect, except you will probably have to go outside (right at dusk, when it's kinda dark) and then put them all inside. They don't automatically go in at first......Just wait until it's dusk, because then they will be scared and clumped together, peeping for you, and they won't run from you.....

I had to go out last night and put mine inside because it was raining.....Wore my old clothes because my coop is set up like yours and I had to get down on my hands and knees to catch them....So I got dirty.....LOL

You're doing a great job!

Sharon