Our Girls are still afraid of the dark? How long?

[debakadeb]

Maybe you could put a roost in the run itself -- it might be cooler out there.

 

[hollyinpa]

Here's an encouraging picture I snapped a few minutes ago. Last night our girls stayed out all night in the coop. They basically cried and huddled in a pile near the door all night.

Tonight, because I strategically placed the waterer in the spot they huddled the night before, they girls made their way onto the roost/ledge in the covered/darker/more protected part of their temporary coop. I am soooo proud of them.

 

[Welsummer]

OMG! You all inspired me, I went out to unplug the light and lo and behold about half of our girls were asleep on the roost!!!!!! The moon is very bright tonight so I went ahead and unplugged the light. I stood there quietly for awhile to see if anyone was going to freak out and no one did!!!! I am going to keep checking on them hourly to see if it works!!!!! I'm so excited!!!!!!!

I called my husband at work and he is so proud of our girls too!!!!!

 

[hollyinpa]

That's great news. Congratulations!

This morning my chicks are busily eating grass/clover and watching their big sister, Gladys, jealously as she gets to free range as soon as she gets up every morning. One day the chicks will have that luxury. But, for now, they have to wait.

Happy Friday everyone!

 

[ams3651]

I dont have a window just yet and leaving the shed doors open dont give enough light being that they are blocked into the back corner. When I switched to a regular light bulb I placed it up higher after a week and the first time I turned it off they panicked. So Ive just been turining it upward at night so they just have a dim light. I was thinking about putting a lower wattage bulb in and doing it gradually. Im glad to hear that they might be more comfortable with a higher roost, right now its only a few inches high.

 

[hollyinpa]

Our new coop (from Cedar Grove Products) arrived today - already built and adorable as ever. Will post pics soon.

The baby chicks were transfered to our old henhouse and seemed to like it. Gladys and Granny were not keen on their new bigger digs though. They wouldn't go in it.

We returned home after seeing a movie and found Gladys asleep on the grass next to what used to be her home and is now occupied by the six chicks (who were sleeping soundly on the outdoor roost. Granny was huddled asleep under the shrubs.

We put both of the big girls into the new coop and Granny quickly settled into a nesting box to sleep. Gladys fussed a bit and finally sat down next to Granny and dozed off. Tomorrow we'll work on having the two girls use the ramp to enter/exit their new coop. They've not had to use a ramp this skinny/tall to get in and out of the coop before.

We have to build the run for the new coop tomorrow. I hope to get our chicks integrated in with the two big girls in a week or two. They will be six weeks next week...is that too soon to mix them in?

Good luck with getting your chicks used to the dark. We put a battery operated light in with the baby chicks since they were in a new environment tonight, but they chose to sleep on the outdoor roost in the covered run. Tomorrow night we'll put them in the henhouse on the roost for the night to get them used to the routine.

Wish us luck.

 

[All about the EGG]

My wife just snapped this photo. For now they have a night lite. They bunched in the corner when the light went out as well. They do know to go in the coop when it gets dark. In about a week we will get rid of the night lite. They are 8 weeks as well. The flash makes it much brighter.

 

[Beekissed]

I know what you need.....a nice, mature rooster to make them feel safe and to show them the way!