The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Cobra on July 28, 2010, 05:00:06 am

Title: Chicks and learning whats best for themselves
Post by: Cobra on July 28, 2010, 05:00:06 am

Ok 4 young chicks around 6 weeks old, been in their own coop now for a week and very happy, they have even sorted their pecking order out, no adult birds to smother them so their fine.

Here in lies the question: As their are no elders to learn from, will me putting them in their coop at night  ::) teach them anything, or will they simply come to expect this wonderful treatment and expect me to do it everynight  ::) Worse than bl**dy kids  ;D

They will simply huddle in their run, if i don't physically show them the way and obviously that simply equals foxxys dinner if I leave them.  :-\ 

Title: Re: Chicks and learning whats best for themselves
Post by: Hardfeather on July 28, 2010, 08:59:25 am

A lot depends on the breed, but most fowl have a strong instinct to fly up to a roost for the night. Once they have found a safe place to spend the night, they will go there of their own accord.

Title: Re: Chicks and learning whats best for themselves
Post by: doganjo on July 28, 2010, 11:32:19 am

Try giving them their last meal of the day inside their coop. And leave a long time between that and the previous meal

Title: Re: Chicks and learning whats best for themselves
Post by: Cobra on July 30, 2010, 03:19:14 am

Thanks for the ideas, Ill try the food in the coop and see what occurs, their Orps, ducklings have it sorted, once persuaded the chicken need to roost they follow me to their house and in they go.

Well other than wanting to go in with the chicks initially  :D They've been together since hatching and are quite attached, mother hen? more like mother duck; bundles them up in a group and snuggles them Bless  ;D