BzKneez
Chirping
- Mar 14, 2019
- 13
- 27
- 54
I have five chicks that are about 7 weeks old. We moved into a coop several weeks ago. Last week the weather got nice so we were able to let them start going outside of the coop in a small, enclosed area. The love it. My older chickens have a two-story coop (if you will). Therefore, I decided to raise the chicks' coop about 3' off the ground for several reasons so we built a small platform and elevated the coop. The original coop had a ladder in it that went up to the nesting box and they had already figured out how to use it.
I tried to coax them up the ladder with meal rooms and one made it. However, the other ones weren't able to figure out how to get up into it on their own, so we had to catch them and put them in it tonight. That was expected.
What wasn't expected is that it seems that once they were inside of it and realized they were up off the ground, they seemed to freak out. They all huddled on top of one another in one corner so it seems to me that they are scared.
Is this normal behavior? Was it okay to raise the coop? Was this too soon? Will they get used to or should I put it back on the ground? Any help is appreciated.
I tried to coax them up the ladder with meal rooms and one made it. However, the other ones weren't able to figure out how to get up into it on their own, so we had to catch them and put them in it tonight. That was expected.
What wasn't expected is that it seems that once they were inside of it and realized they were up off the ground, they seemed to freak out. They all huddled on top of one another in one corner so it seems to me that they are scared.
Is this normal behavior? Was it okay to raise the coop? Was this too soon? Will they get used to or should I put it back on the ground? Any help is appreciated.
