my girls are spending the night outside alone... so nervous

[misskeeter]

Okay... so the girls are staying out in the coop for the night for the first time. These are my first chickens, and everything I've read preparing to be a good chicken mom has scared the pants off of me... I've been imagining all sorts of predators breaking into the coop and snacking on my ladies... Cross your fingers and say a little prayer... They are in the "hen house" by precision pet products... I put a brick on the nesting box door and stapled chicken wire to the bottom. Fingers crossed here!! The girls are almost 8 weeks old. They have been spending the days in the coop just fine, but this is the first night. I imagine myself checking on them about 50 times tonight.

 

[centrarchid]

Show us some pictures. You maybe able to tweak defences against wedgeheads (raccoons). If chicken wire a defense measure, then you need upgrading.

 

[Gargoyle]

I agree with centrarchid. You need to use hardware cloth (welded wire, I prefer the 1/2" square size) and not chicken wire. Chicken wire keeps chickens in but doesn't keep bad guys out.

You should be fine tonight, I think raccoons usually scout out new prey for a night or two before breaking in.

 

[1muttsfan]

For a minute I pictured your hens out in the back yard in a tent huddled around a flashlight...

 

[PrincessTamTam]

Mine are still inside (4 weeks old) and their coop is being finished right now (converting our children's playhouse into a coop). I swear I am going to spend the first night in there with them, cause I am that crazy of a first time chicken mom

 

[misskeeter]

Okay.. The coop itself is made of hardware cloth... the chicken wire was what I stapled to the bottom to discourage digging predators.

and Now I've pictured the girls huddled in a tent around a flashlight... LOL... They did great last night. They were happy to get out this morning!

 

[centrarchid]

Best to let them stay in new coop for a few consequitive days to ensure they will return to it at night for roosting. Are the little guys free ranging? If so hawk bait at 4 weeks.

 

[misskeeter]

They aren't technically free ranging... I go outside and give them supervised roaming time. They tend to find the nearest green plant and curl up to sleep under it. The little coop/run that I got is cute... They didn't get that they are supposed to sleep in the raised coop part, so I've gone outside to lock them up in it... I think I might need to build some kind of door for it. I've been just propping the ramp up so they can't get out. That won't help them much if something gets into the run though...

 

[effie]

coons will remove bricks-easily-they will go thru chicken wire-they will open fridge doors(I really do know this firsthand)they will open latches--they will pull down your prop for the ramp door-they will go thru a small opening-they will take a lid off of a bucket or trash can--anything you can do they can do better--seriously!!! hope they are secure and safe and you sleep well

 

[misskeeter]

Okay. So the girls are sleeping inside for the second night in a row. There are going to be thunderstorms again tonight, so they are in my bathroom. They are so spoiled!