Raising chicks

The chicks moved out into the chicken coop last week. I'm glad to have the kitchen floor cleared. My house really isn't set up for chicks.

They remain in the isolation part of the coop. They could manage inside the coop, but I don't like to barricade the big girls from coming inside. They like to have access to their favorite nest box.

The youngsters would probably be safe with the rest of the flock at this point. They all know each other by now. The issue now is that the fencing on the chicken run isn't perfectly secure. It doesn't need to be, but the babies need to be big enough that they can't escape and run loose, or into the neighbors' yard. One slipped away from me the other day and was quickly out under the gence. Another week or two of size should get them there.

For now, they are enjoying the coop. The first day, my husband attempted to turn the cage on its side, the theory being that the chicks would calmly march out into the new digs. No such luck. They were horrified and scrambled to the top of the cage.

I reached in to take them out one by one. That was okay with them, but not the part about going into the new enclosure. As I placed each one in the nice, fresh wood chips, they'd jump back on my arm. I ended up with four chicks huddling on my shoulders. Anything to avoid the horror!

They managed to get over it and settle in. They are doing fine  now, sleeping on their perch at night.