My babies are spending their first night away...

[Sara Ranch]

My baby chicks (well teenage chicks) are spending their first night in their chicken coop tonight. I'm excited for them and scared for them.

I spend some time with them in the coop, while they adjusted. Then closed the door and propped open the nesting boxes hatch. I talked to them a little and made eye contact with most of them. I did some more mowing around the chicken run. Talked to them/checked on them. Put up a kennel fence. Talked to them/checked on them.

And before saying good night, I refilled the water dish and put in a water bottle. None of the chicks had figured out how to get to the nesting boxes or the roosting bars when I had left. *sigh* I'm sure I will be up early to check on the guys.

Meanwhile, back in the house, I opened up the chicken portion of the sunroom for the ducks. The ducks have taken over the chicken side...like they are missing their room mates.

*Sigh* They grow up so fast!

 

[tacothechicken]

Awww we put ours out a few moths ago, and they've only begun using the roost this last month, kept the light on for them for the first month cause they'd lay by the door in the dark waiting for me!!! had to put up a gate to keep them in the roosting area. Now they're all settled in and refuse to come to me in favor of dust bathing and sun naps! (Unless theres treats) They grow up so fast!!!

 

[Sara Ranch]

I can't help it. The thunder has stopped...another dark rain cloud is coming this way.... but it's been several hours since I put the chicks to bed. Heading down to check on them - quietly through the nesting box hatch - just to make sure they are ok.

 

[tacothechicken]

Happend to me too! We have horrible wind and thunderstorms here! Had to put up gate originally cause I came out on the third night and they were piled by the door to the run IN POURING RAIN IN THE DARK WAITING FOR ME Almost gave me a heart attack when I didn't find them sleeping in the roosting area! Especially cause half are bantam! We didn't start warm weather until half way through may (it was worrying, even though I've done this many a time.

 

[tacothechicken]

Hehe mine did fine after the first few, once they adjust to outside temps and noises nothing seems to bother them! As you can see currently as my babies play in a puddle and shake off water on a dreary rainy day!

 

[Sara Ranch]

Chicks have adjusted pretty well. Lots of rain storms today. Thunder. Lightening. Kids hanging out coop. I put up two old sheets and jerry rigged a fort for them to provide shade. (It's been HOT here. Yesterday, 122. The previous Sunday 128. Good thing there is usually a breeze blowing through. And these storms do cool things off.) Lol - the sheets, I am sure, are soaked.

None of the kids are using the roosting bars yet...that I can tell. The nesting boxes are being used as poop boxes. At least I can see the poop quality easily and clean it up easily.

Ducks will be up next. I am thinking of setting up a secure area on the deck for them to spend the night outside. Right now, they hang out on the deck unsupervised...or supervised in the front yard. I'd love to have them outside full time!

 

[tacothechicken]

Ducks will be up next. I am thinking of setting up a secure area on the deck for them to spend the night outside. Right now, they hang out on the deck unsupervised...or supervised in the front yard. I'd love to have them outside full time!

Nice! Chickens are womderful!
Ps if you haven't realised ducks are a mess! But a cheap part time set up is a cheap dog pen like off Amazon whith a cover over top and a tarp whith towels or old rug for grip on bottom. Then you don't need to worry about getting it off your deck!

 

[Sara Ranch]

Yeah, ducks are a mess. I am trying to talk myself into getting a few more ducks this summer. I want the ducks to make their own families and raise little duckie outside. I still don't know the gender of my current 4 pack.

As for my current batch of duckies - they refuse to spend the night on the deck. Buggers. They spend all day outside, but insist on being let in the sunroom to sleep at night.

They do most (?) of their pooping outside, for which I am grateful. If it's not on the grass, then it's easily washed away with a hose from the deck/porch/sidewalk. But the morning after their sunroom sleep in is awful!!! My little fertilizer makers make poo that stinks LESS since they started free ranging during the day.

Oh how to get them to sleep outside on the deck???? Two are Pekins and VERY vocal when they are unhappy. That's how I found out they were afraid of the dark.