I had been brooding seven chicks in my upstairs bedroom and moving them to an outdoor coop/run daily, then returning them to the brooder at night. Last week, as they were seven weeks old and fully feathered, I decided it was time for them to stay outdoors full time.
They liked hanging out in the grassy run but were less than thrilled to go into the coop at night. I had to scoop them up one by one and pop them into the coop at bedtime. Every night, I snagged unwilling chicks and set them inside the coop. Repeatedly, as I put one inside the coop, another would escape past my hands. It felt like I had dozens of chicks!!
Last night, I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up, it was already dark. I panicked when I realized that although everyone had been secured in their runs since dinner, I hadn't cooped any of my poultry. As expected, all the grown ups were in their coops and on their roosts. With a night-vision headlamp on, I prepared to round up reluctant babies in the dark. Also, their "starter" run is only about 2 and a half foot tall, so I have to be on my hands and knees when I'm gathering the girls.
Surprise! Instinct had kicked in! Six of the seven had put themselves into the coop. Daphne, the seventh, was perched on the top rung of the ladder; she would have been indoors, except some of her sisters were blocking the doorway. I am so proud of my little ones! And, hopeful that they do the same thing again tonight!
They liked hanging out in the grassy run but were less than thrilled to go into the coop at night. I had to scoop them up one by one and pop them into the coop at bedtime. Every night, I snagged unwilling chicks and set them inside the coop. Repeatedly, as I put one inside the coop, another would escape past my hands. It felt like I had dozens of chicks!!
Last night, I fell asleep on the couch and when I woke up, it was already dark. I panicked when I realized that although everyone had been secured in their runs since dinner, I hadn't cooped any of my poultry. As expected, all the grown ups were in their coops and on their roosts. With a night-vision headlamp on, I prepared to round up reluctant babies in the dark. Also, their "starter" run is only about 2 and a half foot tall, so I have to be on my hands and knees when I'm gathering the girls.
Surprise! Instinct had kicked in! Six of the seven had put themselves into the coop. Daphne, the seventh, was perched on the top rung of the ladder; she would have been indoors, except some of her sisters were blocking the doorway. I am so proud of my little ones! And, hopeful that they do the same thing again tonight!
