Tried to move baby chickens outside, but they got stressed of the darkness in their coop.

[Henfla]

Welcome to BYC - saw you joined in April. I can empathize with you on the drama-queen-ness with chicks. Granted, I live in Florida (not the palm tree area, but Northern - think Pine Tree ). It doesn't get a chilly here at any point in the year - - at the most 20 degrees at its very coldest in the dead of winter.

Back to the drama of chicks - they will absolutely play on your sympathies and do anything to get their way. I just moved my 4 week old chicks I hatched from their brooder on the deck to the coop and run setup last night. I even moved their heat plate last night after they chirped incessantly for 30 minutes. That didn't help. They just kept chirping. They seem to respond with chirps when they're thrust into a new situation regardless of what the change is. Mine have never had a night light, so the darkness wasn't a factor, but the new coop definitely was. I looked in on them at about midnight last night and they were all in a cuddle puddle on the coop floor fast asleep.

Don't let their cute chickie wiles get the best of you . They will do it whenever possible and every time. They'll get used to the darkness and it's really better for them anyway from a circadian rhythm perspective for day/night cycle. They just don't know it....yet.

Happy to help if you run into anything that I've encountered that I might have knowledge on.

Thanks
They have now been living outside for a few weeks and it was only problematic for them the first night. It's very weird, but they know when it's time to go to bed in the evening even though it's daylight all the time. Since it's been about 5 degrees celcius at night (and even some days during daytime as well) I've let them have the heating plate up until this weekend, so I took it away on friday and they don't seem to be cold without it anymore

 

[abenardini]

Thanks
They have now been living outside for a few weeks and it was only problematic for them the first night. It's very weird, but they know when it's time to go to bed in the evening even though it's daylight all the time. Since it's been about 5 degrees celcius at night (and even some days during daytime as well) I've let them have the heating plate up until this weekend, so I took it away on friday and they don't seem to be cold without it anymore

Awesome! Sounds like they’re on the right track.

 

[nuthatched]

If you think that comment was bad, you should have read it BEFORE I toned it down. I deliberately worded things about the differences the way I did to give you a taste of how belittled the OP was feeling, judging by her responses. I was not fair, I was underhanded, passive aggressive, and insulting, I readily admit. I certainly don’t think you are dumb, but I did think you were a bit thoughtless. I sincerely apologize for the tone of my post. Water under the bridge.

I did, you will notice, agree that the OP’s setup is not ideal, but not knowing her circumstances it may be the best they can do for right now. I’m so glad my friend @Alaskan chimed in…..he was able to correct my misstatements too. Truce?

And wolverines scare me more than bears do too! Here in Wyoming, even near Yellowstone Park as I am, we know there are wolverines but they are rarely spotted. They are so elusive. They can stay that way!!

I'm sorry, I just saw this. I didn't realize there was a reply until someone told me. I really don't want to hurt you but I need address something. I'll be the first to admit that my post was tactless and I was (unintentionally) being a jerk and I made a horrible mistake in my delivery and I am still regretting my mistake. However, I can't believe you took it upon yourself to spitefully 'give me a taste of my own medicine', which could be argued was, blown way, way out of proportion to my original indiscretion; rubbing my face in it like how some cruel people house train puppies. I can't believe that you purposefully and with rancor went out of your way to humiliate and hurt me. It's disgusting. I'm shocked that you think it's okay to explain why you did it as if it justifies it. It doesn't, not at all. I accept your apology and I have no grudge against you so don't worry. I wouldn't ever think about treating you the same way.

 

[Henfla]

I'm sorry, I just saw this. I didn't realize there was a reply until someone told me. I really don't want to hurt you but I need address something. I'll be the first to admit that my post was tactless and I was (unintentionally) being a jerk and I made a horrible mistake in my delivery and I am still regretting my mistake. However, I can't believe you took it upon yourself to spitefully 'give me a taste of my own medicine', which could be argued was, blown way, way out of proportion to my original indiscretion; rubbing my face in it like how some cruel people house train puppies. I can't believe that you purposefully and with rancor went out of your way to humiliate and hurt me. It's disgusting. I'm shocked that you think it's okay to explain why you did it as if it justifies it. It doesn't, not at all. I accept your apology and I have no grudge against you so don't worry. I wouldn't ever think about treating you the same way.

Just so you and the others that presume I live in Alaska know. I don't live in Alaska. I live in Europe. We don't have bears or wolves or anything like that because I don't live on the main land and the few we have on the main land is not like in Alaska. The biggest threat to my chickens are foxes (that usually are shy) and eagles (but I have never ever seen one here). The only animals that are hanging out around our house is seagulls, crows and reindeers.
So I don't think it's a problem with the eglu cube.

 

[nuthatched]

Just so you and the others that presume I live in Alaska know. I don't live in Alaska. I live in Europe. We don't have bears or wolves or anything like that because I don't live on the main land and the few we have on the main land is not like in Alaska. The biggest threat to my chickens are foxes (that usually are shy) and eagles (but I have never ever seen one here). The only animals that are hanging out around our house is seagulls, crows and reindeers.
So I don't think it's a problem with the eglu cube.

I'm very sorry that I came down on you as did, it was inappropriate and rude. I hope you can forgive me. If small predators and raptors are your only worries, an iglu is sufficient. As winter closes in, I would recommend a strong covered run purely because chickens can start eating each other if they a bored/cramped, it's hard to stop once started. But Alaskaan is the best person to ask for your particular climate.

 

[aart]

I live in Europe.

Where in Europe?
Here's how to your general geographical location to your profile.
It's easy to do, and then it's always there!

 

[Blooie]

Well, as I said, “giving you a taste of your own medicine” was unfair, passive/aggressive, underhanded and aggressive of me. I totally admitted that. It was also totally out of character, and I still wonder where it came from. Those who know me on here are probably scratching their heads too. Wish we had an “ashamed of myself” emoji. I’d plaster the page with them. But methinks we agree on more things than we disagree!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Respectfully, living in Arizona I don’t think you are well versed in what the OP needs in Alaska, where the average winter length of day (depending on the exact location in Alaska, of course) is less than 4 hours. Yours in Arizona (in Yuma, for example) is about 11 hours. The further North one lives or travels, the shorter time winter daylight lasts.

There’s also the temperature difference to consider, and that needs no explanation. Your birds need to be able to spread way out to cope with your temperatures….hers actually benefit from tighter spaces. So while you need more than an Eglu chicken coop, the OP‘s needs are vastly different than yours. She can always add ventilation if she needs it.

All that said, I do agree that a more substantial coop would be in order, especially given the types of predators the OP is likely to encounter. I doubt if you have too many wolverines and bears wanting a chicken dinner, and those are things she will be facing. But that’s up to her. As she gains experience, and perhaps as funds allow (I don’t know her circumstances) she can build a stronger, bigger coop. In the meantime, can we try not putting her on the defensive and just address her question? We’re supposed to be more helpful than this.

@Henfla, you’ve got this…..you just have to get through the next few nights as they get used to the changes. Your daylight hours are steadily increasing so their hours in darkness will be reduced. They should have adjusted by winter.

This is why we love @Blooie!

 

[Blooie]

This is why we love @Blooie!

Awwww, thanks BBH!!!

 

[SeabassSarmale]

Awwww, thanks BBH!!!

I’ve always grown chicks outside from week 1 and never had problems.