Yesterday was a beautiful June day with highs in the upper 80s and passing clouds. The forecast for the evening called for cloudy skies and lows in the 50s. With this good forecast it seemed the appropriate time to have the chicks become full-time outdoor birds.
Besides the change in weather, returning the chicks to their two indoor bins had become more difficult. First, there would be the chase to capture all eighteen. Plus, every night there was a new combination of birds in each pen, which caused a few “chick fights”.
So, as the sun started to set last night, my twelve year old and I headed to the outdoor pen to introduce the girls to their coop. (Although, they can access the coop via a ramp during the day, they are more content to peck and walk around the pen during the day.) Having a few nights’ experience of rounding up the chicks, we knew it could be a messy, timely process.
Initially it was easy, as the 18 chicks tended to huddle, allowing either of us to grab one or two chicks. However, as the numbers dwindled, it became more difficult to grab the last few. As always, they tried to hide under their pen and flap their wings frantically. Being much bigger than they are, we were careful to grab them gently, so as not to hurt them.
All told it was a five minute process. However, when in the midst of peeking under the coop, boxing them into corners, and avoiding running into your chasing partner, it seemed much longer.
Once placed in their coop with the door secured, the chicks chirped quietly. None of them seemed too upset. After a quiet night alone, the chicks were released from their coop by my ten year old, twelve year old, and me. A few chicks pushed their way to the front, running down the ramp to freedom. Within a couple minutes, even the slowest stragglers had emerged and began eagerly eating, drinking, and pecking at the ground. The first night in their own home was a success!
Here are some photos of their first morning processional into the bin from their coop:
The feeding frenzy after the night in the coop:
