The weirdest thing

[5 Points Wingfeather]

Yesterday we had eggs start hatching under our broody who is in the back of the coop so I put wire up so none of the others could get to her. She is in the very back and our coop is 4 feet off the ground.

This morning, I go out to let the chickens out of the coop and I hear a “peep peep peep” and it is coming from inside the run. Our 5 juveniles (8 weeks old) slept in the run last night. Literally the first time they’ve ever done that. I think it had to do with me putting up the wire in the coop so they couldn’t sleep in the back away from the adults where they normally sleep so they slept in run. It’s protected really well so I didn’t worry about it.


Anyway, I hear the “peep peep” coming from the run where the 8 week olds are and I see a day old chick stuck in a roll of wire I had left in there. I get him out, open the back of the coop and put him back with mama. I’ll take pictures of the coop later but I have *NO IDEA* how he got out. So many crazy things.

1. It should’ve been impossible for him to get out of the coop. There are no cracks—especially big enough for him to get out.
2. How and why did he leave mama in middle of night?
3. How did he decide to go to the run? If he goes anywhere else he dies in the few of the grass
4. How did he survive the night away from mom as a day old chick?
5. How lucky is it that the 8 weeks olds didn’t kill him since he was 100 percent stuck and “crying”?


I can’t wrap my mind around it all.

 

[Sara S]

Yesterday we had eggs start hatching under our broody who is in the back of the coop so I put wire up so none of the others could get to her. She is in the very back and our coop is 4 feet off the ground.

This morning, I go out to let the chickens out of the coop and I hear a “peep peep peep” and it is coming from inside the run. Our 5 juveniles (8 weeks old) slept in the run last night. Literally the first time they’ve ever done that. I think it had to do with me putting up the wire in the coop so they couldn’t sleep in the back away from the adults where they normally sleep so they slept in run. It’s protected really well so I didn’t worry about it.


Anyway, I hear the “peep peep” coming from the run where the 8 week olds are and I see a day old chick stuck in a roll of wire I had left in there. I get him out, open the back of the coop and put him back with mama. I’ll take pictures of the coop later but I have *NO IDEA* how he got out. So many crazy things.

1. It should’ve been impossible for him to get out of the coop. There are no cracks—especially big enough for him to get out.
2. How and why did he leave mama in middle of night?
3. How did he decide to go to the run? If he goes anywhere else he dies in the few of the grass
4. How did he survive the night away from mom as a day old chick?
5. How lucky is it that the 8 weeks olds didn’t kill him since he was 100 percent stuck and “crying”?


I can’t wrap my mind around it all.

Congrats on your hatch! What type of wire, hardware cloth or chicken wire? What breed? i have some girls who are acting like mothers, protecting the small flock members (my bantams from my big girls) and it’s adorable. I’m glad he’s okay! hopeful you can solve this issue, chickens are crazy little things.

 

[SilverBirds]

What sort of wire is it? He probably woke up early this morning, got curious, and wandered out. If he left mom late at night I don't think he'd be alive so he was probably only gone for a short while. My full grown chickens have tried to eat some of the newborns so I'd consider it lucky that he did not get gobbled up. So glad you found him in time.

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

I wasn’t clear enough about the wire. Even if he went through the wire, he just would’ve been in the coop with the adult chickens. It would not have allowed him to get in the run. That’s what I can’t figure out

 

[SilverBirds]

I wasn’t clear enough about the wire. Even if he went through the wire, he just would’ve been in the coop with the adult chickens. It would not have allowed him to get in the run. That’s what I can’t figure out

Maybe one of your chickens picked him and and started to play keep away. Was he hiding when you found him?

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

Maybe one of your chickens picked him and and started to play keep away. Was he hiding when you found him?

He was hiding/stuck in wire in the run. But there were no big chickens in the run and if the juveniles were playing with him they would’ve killed him because he was totally stuck. Just sitting there

Plus I found him at 530 am. I don’t think the could’ve seen to play with him

 

[Lori J]

This is a puzzle! Did you ever figure it out?

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

I never did, but the chick is doing well. No harm done.