My babies are in their "big girl" coop for the first night tonight....

[dawnrae]

They did so good all day - they went in voluntarily and were scratching away at the new bedding and flying up on the new roosts. I was sure they were glad to have room to flap their wings since they are almost TEN weeks old and were still sleeping in a large dog crate in the kitchen. We "snuck" away when I was sure they had found their food/water and locked them up for the night. Next time we looked they were all lined up on a roost near a window watching us. I walked over, opened the top of the split door and the four of them raced over, jumped up on the door and tried to either get under my arm and on my shoulder. Can't help anthropomorphizing because it really seemed like they were saying, "yep, that was fun, now lets get in the house before it gets dark"

I feel bad for my scared babies but, I guess I should say "big girls"!!! I'll be sure to bring them something special first thing in the morning

...who am I kidding??? I'm going out to check on them as soon as I hit "submit". I won't open the door - just peek in a window.

 

[hisdaughter]

I know what you're feeling when you say you are going to go out and check on them. There is just something special about chicks you've raised either from a hatching or that you picked out. I sneak out with a flashlight just to check. Shine it on the coop, the surrounding areas and the girls themselves. All safe, now I can rest. Does that mean we are mother hens? Good luck with your extended family.

 

[Karen09]

They will be fine! They will get used to being out there and be able to scratch, roost, etc... It is hard when you first put them out in the big coop. The first chickens I moved to the "big coop" I actually took back into the dog kennel in the garage for a few nights and then let them stay in the big coop. Now a few years later, I only check on them about 3 times the first couple nights to make sure they were ok. So I understand

 

[sunny & the 5 egg layers]

Haha!

I am glad that you got your chicks in your coop. I still have 16 week olds in a brooder box (without the heat lamp of course) the coop is almost finished. All that has to be done now is build the ramp, finish the roosts, and make the doors for the nest box (so we can get eggs from the outside) , and we might paint the walls too. I am hoping it will be done tomorrow and they can move in on monday.

Congrats on your coop. Good luck with your girls. I am sure they will be fine.

 

[dawnrae]

Hey, guess what?!?! I just checked on them and THEY'RE FINE

(all sitting side-by-side on the highest roost - looking out the window, of course)

Unfortunate night to move them out, though. There is a "Community Days" celebration in our town and the fireworks are just beginning....

 

[stcroixusvi]

Mine went out last night for the first time - 6.5 weeks. It was harder on me

. I will say, tho, they stay up later at night. Tonight I went out at 8:30 and they were still peeping and trying to figure out who goes where on the roost. Hopefully they will settle down. In the brooder, they were all lined up and asleep by 7:00 or so!

Hope yours handle the noise ok - mine are usually bothered by the first sudden sound but then quickly get accustomed.

 

[14chickmama]

Mine are 16 weeks old and I still get up in the middle of the night and spotlight them and there coop!! One time I saw a coon and went out at 4am and scared it away. All 15 of them are still my babies.