They're crying!! It's killing me!!

[MontanaDolphin]

My heart strings are being torn to shreds!

I about finished the run attached to my 7 week old barred rock's coop, and they were in it all day. The sun went down, so I herded them inside the coop and sat with them for about 15 minutes. They wouldn't stop crying, even with me in there with them! I finally left thinking that they'd settle down soon, but it's been a half hour and I can hear them in my house! I want to bring them back in sooo bad but hubby says no, it's like having a puppy, that they'll cry the first few nights and then they'll be fine...but what does he know??? He's never had chickens!! I feel awful! Like I'm abandoning them! Should I bring them in, regardless of hubby's opinion? They are all fully feathered, so I'm not worried about them getting too cold...the coop is 8 ft x 4 ft and I have two bags full of pine shavings in there...but they're scared! And they won't stop!!!
What should I do???

 

[gilmoujr]

Did you move their brooder in with them so they had some form of comfort? If not, let them remain in the brooder IN the coop for a couple of days to get accustomed to the coop. Once they get their bearings, them remove the brooder and all should be fine.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

No I didn't put the brooder out there...I don't think it'll fit through the door! I did put a little battery operated lamp in there, though. I don't think I can move the brooder out there even if it did fit through the door...it's got sand in it, it's heavy, and is a cardboard contraption taped together and it's bottom will probably fall apart if I move it!

 

[redneck farmer]

It's ok my cried for a while but now when I open the run door they run out but run right back in because now its there home

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I'd be curious to see what happens if you turn off the light. My chicks quiet down in the dark. Maybe they want the light off!

 

[Chickens R Us]

x2

 

[ButtersMama]

How do you know a chicks crying????

 

[MontanaDolphin]

I'd be curious to see what happens if you turn off the light. My chicks quiet down in the dark. Maybe they want the light off!

I tried that. It didn't work.

How do you know a chicks crying????

The next time I try to put them out there, I'll record it for you. It's a long drawn out peep, and very loud.


I say next time to ButtersMama's post, because I brought them in. I couldn't take it. I was near tears, I felt so bad for them! I never knew how attached I could get to birds LOL. I spend hours just watching and interacting with them. Their cries were killing me...and my hubby couldn't stand to see me so upset so he told me to go ahead and bring them back in. I didn't even pause...out the door I went, and came back in with an armful of scared chicks...put them in their brooder, went back out and got the rest. I'll try again in a few days...I guess I'M not ready yet.

That being said, and the fact that I'm feeling so much better now, I am going to post about their experience today in their run for the first time. One of my cockerels caught a worm snake... they are everywhere here apparently, since this is the second time one of my chicks caught one...and I had my camera out cuz I take pictures of them all the time, especially when we're facing a new milestone (like first time in their run!)