Keeping a bunch of chicks in a small hoop shelter means that either it is moved or cleaned frequently. Because chicks will not get out of the way of a moving board, but will actually stand there and let it run over them, the hoop shelters cannot be moved until the chicks are out of it. But they also need to know that is their home and where they should go to spend the night. Locking them up in the shelter for a few days helps them to bond to their surroundings.
Today I opened the shelters for the chicks to make their way out to the world of the farm. The shy ones will take several days before they venture out and the bold ones were out the door within minutes. They will mill around their shelter for the first while, not going too far from safety, but as they become more familiar with their surroundings and the impending dangers or rather lack of dangers there, they will go further and further and meet the other birds and chicks.
The hard part of the whole episode is herding them back into the safety of their shelters for the night. They do not know enough to seek shelter in a storm and even now, many would huddle in a corner, one on top of the other, sometimes smothering the ones at the bottom and killing them. I was happy to see that most of the chicks in one of the coops were perching already, with only about 10 left on the ground. The second coop had about half perched and half on the ground. They will not huddle if they are perching. Thunderstorms scare them to bits and I hope there isn't one for a few days at least until they are more comfortable. On a day when they are all out of their coops, the coops can be moved to fresh ground. For the most part, the ducks, geese and dogs ignored the new birds in the yard and that is good. Welcome to the Fat Ewe Farm little chicks! Your mommies and daddies live here and you were hatched from eggs provided via them, so you have always been home so to speak. Enjoy your second day out tomorrow.
Today I opened the shelters for the chicks to make their way out to the world of the farm. The shy ones will take several days before they venture out and the bold ones were out the door within minutes. They will mill around their shelter for the first while, not going too far from safety, but as they become more familiar with their surroundings and the impending dangers or rather lack of dangers there, they will go further and further and meet the other birds and chicks.
The hard part of the whole episode is herding them back into the safety of their shelters for the night. They do not know enough to seek shelter in a storm and even now, many would huddle in a corner, one on top of the other, sometimes smothering the ones at the bottom and killing them. I was happy to see that most of the chicks in one of the coops were perching already, with only about 10 left on the ground. The second coop had about half perched and half on the ground. They will not huddle if they are perching. Thunderstorms scare them to bits and I hope there isn't one for a few days at least until they are more comfortable. On a day when they are all out of their coops, the coops can be moved to fresh ground. For the most part, the ducks, geese and dogs ignored the new birds in the yard and that is good. Welcome to the Fat Ewe Farm little chicks! Your mommies and daddies live here and you were hatched from eggs provided via them, so you have always been home so to speak. Enjoy your second day out tomorrow.
RSS Feed