For the last five nights we waited at dusk and watched our six chicks in their run as it got darker. We could see them through the binoculars getting more upset as each minute went by and it kept getting darker. We had a light on in their coop but they would never go up that ramp on their own and they would just cry very loud until we came out, picked them up and put them to bed. There was no chasing them around. They would run to us and peep loudly to be picked up and put into the pop door. Once they were all inside they would immediately quiet down and go to sleep. Tonight, the fifth night, it was the same thing. By 8 o'clock it was dark and we could hear them crying. We were about to give up again and go out and put them to bed when one of them hopped on the ramp and was quickly followed by all the others (except for one) and they just marched up the ramp, all five stood in the pop door for a minute and all simultaneously jumped in. We watched this with binoculars from the house and were as excited as when our children got their first A. Probably more so. We waited a bit longer in the hopes that the last one would get the idea but she was just crying so loudly that we were afraid that her heart would give out. We hurried out and the poor baby literally flew into my wife's arms and was very happy to join her chickmates inside.
Strangely, when my wife and I got back to the house we realized that we were happy with the progress but, at the same time, we were both sad. They are like our babies and for the first time they did not need us to put them to bed and we will miss that.
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Strangely, when my wife and I got back to the house we realized that we were happy with the progress but, at the same time, we were both sad. They are like our babies and for the first time they did not need us to put them to bed and we will miss that.
