- May 16, 2011
- 97
- 1
- 92
Yesterday, 6 weeks on the dot, I moved the chicks from the basement to their home in the yard.
I had prepped the coop; blocked off the nesting boxes and put cardboard over half the rungs in
the coop, covered with pine shavings-just like the brooder box
Carried them up the stairs one by one and put them in the run.
As evening came on none had ventured up the ladder to the coop. As the sun was setting
I mixed up a batch of fruit and yogurt in the familiar bowl and put it at the coop door.
I put a flashlight inside the coop to make it light as darkness fell.
Neither had any effect. They huddled up in the darkness on the ground and went to sleep.
In retrospect I think I should have put them into the coop first. Then they could have
ventured into the run with the coop as home base. Maybe they would have figured it out.
This calls for desperate measures. Off to the pet store for waxworms. I'll try to lure the greedy
little suckers in with their favorite treat at 10 cents a bug. It's a good thing I don't do this for money
I had prepped the coop; blocked off the nesting boxes and put cardboard over half the rungs in
the coop, covered with pine shavings-just like the brooder box
Carried them up the stairs one by one and put them in the run.
As evening came on none had ventured up the ladder to the coop. As the sun was setting
I mixed up a batch of fruit and yogurt in the familiar bowl and put it at the coop door.
I put a flashlight inside the coop to make it light as darkness fell.
Neither had any effect. They huddled up in the darkness on the ground and went to sleep.
In retrospect I think I should have put them into the coop first. Then they could have
ventured into the run with the coop as home base. Maybe they would have figured it out.
This calls for desperate measures. Off to the pet store for waxworms. I'll try to lure the greedy
little suckers in with their favorite treat at 10 cents a bug. It's a good thing I don't do this for money
