When I went to lock my coop last night I surprised a good-sized rat in my baby chicks' mini-coop.
The babies were fine & the rat was small enough so he wasn't a major threat to them but it made me feel iffy about leaving them cooped in there in the dark.
Soooooo.....
I took them out of the mini-coop (a fenced off area within the coop) and put them on a lower roost with the big hens.
One "Watch it, kid!" peck from one of the roosting hens when a baby got too close & I turned out the light & crossed my fingers all would go well.
This morning babies were where I left them, hens didn't seem upset to see them there & I think I am one step closer to integrating my flock
I left the door to the mini-coop open while I fed horses and when I got back - about 1/2 hour later - the chicks were roaming in front of the coop but were easily shooed back inside.
Today is foggy & chilly so I will leave the chicks in their mini-coop while I'm away.
Keep fingers crossed for my little ones to successfully mingle with the Big Girls.
UPDATE:
Fog cleared up so babies spent the day in the fenced yard.
Happy as pigs in slop when I got home.
I put them back inthe mini-coop & moved their food & water in there too.
Tonight they are roosting in the coop with the Big Girls.
All was peaceful when I checked around 9P.
My poultrykeeping Life has become simpler
The babies were fine & the rat was small enough so he wasn't a major threat to them but it made me feel iffy about leaving them cooped in there in the dark.
Soooooo.....
I took them out of the mini-coop (a fenced off area within the coop) and put them on a lower roost with the big hens.
One "Watch it, kid!" peck from one of the roosting hens when a baby got too close & I turned out the light & crossed my fingers all would go well.
This morning babies were where I left them, hens didn't seem upset to see them there & I think I am one step closer to integrating my flock
I left the door to the mini-coop open while I fed horses and when I got back - about 1/2 hour later - the chicks were roaming in front of the coop but were easily shooed back inside.
Today is foggy & chilly so I will leave the chicks in their mini-coop while I'm away.
Keep fingers crossed for my little ones to successfully mingle with the Big Girls.
UPDATE:
Fog cleared up so babies spent the day in the fenced yard.
Happy as pigs in slop when I got home.
I put them back inthe mini-coop & moved their food & water in there too.
Tonight they are roosting in the coop with the Big Girls.
All was peaceful when I checked around 9P.
My poultrykeeping Life has become simpler
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