Moving into the coop

[Geckochick]

Newbie here, both to the site and to chicks. I am finding my way, but I have a pressing concern, so came here first.

My chicks are getting too big to be inside anymore -- we have 27 and they are three weeks old. They just seem too big for the space we have for them -- we have set up brooder in a baby/dog run in our sunroom, but we have it squared so we can have it lidded (otherwise our cat might enjoy a midnight snack). The space is just getting too crampy for them all of the sudden. During the day we have a makeshift run for them outside until their permanent run is done, so they stretch their legs all day, but at night they come back inside. My husband has been going all out on the coop, which is two converted horse stalls in our barn.

I just worry about my little peeps going out to the barn. I know they will LOVE the space and exploring it, but I am worried. So, help a new chickie mom out and talk me through things I should take care of so I won't worry about them. It is raccoon and other pest proofed (as far as we can tell). We will put a heat lamp out tonight (even though it will probably be ok in our heatwave). What should I be thinking about for this big move?

Thanks, in advance. I really don't want to be out in the barn at midnight watching the babies, as much as I love them.

 

[Judy]

Food and water

Really, it sounds like you have it covered. Predators are always the big concern, but you have addressed that. Chances are, they won't even need the heat. Sounds like you have plenty of room for them to get away from it if they want.

They'd no doubt enjoy a low roost and a few things to jump up on, but that can wait til you get to it, certainly. Some chicks will roost when that young, but many don't do it regularly until they are a few months old, and there's no need for them to do it sooner. I'll bet they will sleep all cuddled together on the straw/pine shavings/whatever.

 

[teach1rusl]

Can we takes bets here??? Because I've got $2 that you'll wake up at least 2X in panic-mode, and you'll make at least one nightly trip out to the barn...

That first night is TOUGH!!! On the people far more than on the chicks! My best advice is to secure your lamp VERY WELL - with a back-up wire or chain too. Oh, and don't leave anything in their area that they could get trapped behind or under. And know they'll be fine

 

[Geckochick]

Thanks, for the reassurances!

Quote:
You will win that bet for sure!! Even when they were indoors I woke a few times a night the first week or so to check on them. I am not sure I even checked on my human babies as much....

I wasn't sure it was going to be a go for tonight, but DH just came in from the barn and he is almost done with the final raccoon proofing.

 

[teach1rusl]

Well, how'd it go last night???

 

[Geckochick]

Quote:
Thanks for asking!

They LOVED it. They were so excited, all bustling about for a while, and peeping so loudly I could hear them up near the house. I think we checked on them about five times before the kids went to bed, then DH and I went down a few times before we went to bed. I will admit to going one more time on my own...

They were all sleeping, huddled together on one side of the coop. And this morning, they were all up and happy to see us when we went down at 6. So, a successful evening.

DH did scare me though - he came back from shutting down the barn, and had a sad face. Not the chicks, though. He had left a ladder up in the middle of the barn when he was stringing the extension cord for the heatlamp... and our fearless cat climbed the ladder and took out a nest of swallows.

 

[Judy]

Had to laugh at all the trips to check on them. Most all of us have been there, done that.

They will probably be a lot quieter when they get used to it in a day or two. Unless your heat lamp is aimed at the same place they were sleeping, they may not need it any longer, or only on a cooler night.

 

[teach1rusl]

Glad things went smoothly for your chicks!