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MiraBella Ranch

In the Brooder
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I bought nine 1 week old assorted pullets. Raised them in a galvanized tub covered with chicken wire on the kitchen Island and reduced their nighttime heat every week from 95 to 70. Starting at 3 weeks old they spent 1 hour, then 2 hours, then half the days outside in their run with my dog babysitting them only if the temps were 95° or less in the shade. Lots of posts about temperature are about lows, I avoided our daytime temps in the 100°s by bringing them back in the kitchen.

They are 5 weeks old now, and since days are down to around 95-98° now, they are out all day in the run. And now they have also spent the last 3 nights in their coop. :) the first night, I put them in their tub for the night with food and water and a chicken wire top as usual, just moved the tub to the floor of the coop, no heat lamp, but did cover with a dishtowel. coop gets down to 65° at night. The second night, half of them jumped into their tub and the other half came to me and let me put them in! No more chasing them to catch them ! My question now is, should I let them spend the 3rd night in the coop in the tub but without the wire top on it? I have seen all are able to fly/hop in and out of the tub. I have placed shavings all over the floor of the coop, and the coop doors are closed at night. This is my first flock and I am quite attached to each little chick. It gets in the 60°s inside the coop at night and I wouldn't be able to cover the tub if I take the wire top off. Will they find each other to snuggle if the tub is left open?
 

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They are only using the tub out of habit and habit is comfort for chicks. They do not need it, it has served its purpose as a transition aid, and now it's time to ditch it.

Do you have a perch in the coop? When I move my chicks into the coop, I place them on the perch to introduce them to roosting. Some take right to it, while others will perch on sills and any other surface besides the roosting perch.

After the third night of placing them on the perch, they are getting into the habit, and by the end of the week, they are hopping up there on their own.
 
Hello and welcome to BYC! :frow Glad you joined.
You don't need the tub. They will be just fine without it.
I would keep them in the coop/run permanently. They are ready to be outside now. Block off the nest boxes and make sure they have a perch for when they are ready for that.
 

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