Tomorrow is the Day! (Nervous)

[3KillerBs]

Since I need to clean the coop and the weather is forecast to be nice and since I'll be home all day, tomorrow is the day that I'll be letting the "babies" -- 7 and 9 weeks -- out in their pen unsupervised for the first time.

They're inside an electric poultry net fence with an inner fence of plastic netting until they're all big enough to not wiggle through the electric net. I have put a hawk shelter in the middle of the pen and ensured that they have plenty of shade. There will be water in the coop and out in the pen.

I know that this is when I might lose some either because they fly over the fence and get lost or because they get taken by a hawk, but I also know that they have to learn to go outside and be chickens rather than stay in their protected but limited coop.

I'm nervous.

But it is time.

 

[grayjay11o]

Good Luck! Have you thought of putting reflective bird deterrents up on a post to try and scare the hawk away?

 

[sourland]

It is time - they are old enough. I am always concerned about birds in uncovered pens. I have lost too many to hawks and owls.

 

[Tonyroo]

Spend the day with them, do chores, lounge, give them treats and just hangout. They'll get a sense to know it's safe and that's part of there home.

 

[3KillerBs]

Good Luck! Have you thought of putting reflective bird deterrents up on a post to try and scare the hawk away?

I have nothing I can use in this situation.

Honestly, I haven't actually heard of them working very well against hawks.

 

[3KillerBs]

Spend the day with them, do chores, lounge, give them treats and just hangout. They'll get a sense to know it's safe and that's part of there home.

I can't spend all day with them. I will be out intermittently, but it's my only day off that rain isn't forecast so I have many things to do in many places.

They've been in their pen almost every non-rainy evening for the past month -- but with me either sitting in there or in the nearby pavilion.

 

[Tonyroo]

I would think a reflective pin wheel would scare them since it's spinning. Maybe put some short tassels on the tips. Just a thought.

 

[3KillerBs]

They've been out since about 1:30, when I got done mowing.

I've cleaned out and re-bedded the coop and have dared to come inside into the AC for a few minutes (it's actually a coop day in the mid-80s, but I was working in the sun on some projects).

So far they are staying inside their pen with no attempts to fly out.

 

[3KillerBs]

I've still got all of them.

I'm not going to let them out tomorrow when no one's home, but if it's not pouring rain when I get home I'll let them out then. )

 

[Ryguy3684]

First day success is always good. You're right not to believe the hawk deterrents. I lost a pullet last month with 8 of those stupid pinwheel and cds in the yard.