My girls are on their own tonight

[Izzymoon]

lol...I didn't do well, one of the black stars (Martha) was screaming so loudly, I put a flashlight in the coop and shoved them all inside and they stayed! Screaming turned to happy cheeping, so far they all are up in the coop, it occurred to me they never had seen darkness because the light was on in the brooder all the time, I had lowered it at night so they had a dark and light side, but never total darkness...the flashlight seems to have solved the problem (so far)

 

[Izzymoon]

They survived the night and the flashlight burned out, maybe I can figure out something solar for this purpose.

 

[mommabird]

My girls are doing very well. The first day I had they all gathered around the door of their run chirping loudly for me to take them back inside and didn't figure out that they were supposed to go back into their coop. So I lifted each one up to the ramp and gently prodded them in through the pop door. Then I went around to the door of the coop and lifted each one up onto the roost. Some stayed on the roost and a couple hopped down into the bedding. When I went back in the morning 5 were on the roost and 1 was nestled in bedding.

Night two - I went out at dusk, expecting to have to follow the same routine but 5 of the 6 were already in the coop. The smallest one was still in the run letting out her panicked chirp. I stood back for a few minutes to see what would happen and two heads came out through the pop door let out a few chirps and then the little one hopped onto the ramp and founder her way in. By the time I circled around the coop to close all of the vents they were all on the roosts chirping happily. I was so glad that they all picked everything up so quickly!

 

[kmatt87]

They survived the night and the flashlight burned out, maybe I can figure out something solar for this purpose.

just get one of the cheap solar garden lights that you can find at walmart. I have a couple for my yard and i think they were $2 each. Or check out the dollar store. The one closest to me has 4th of july solar lights for $1

 

[mommabird]

They survived the night and the flashlight burned out, maybe I can figure out something solar for this purpose.

You could also try one of those round click likes (like for your closets, etc) that they have at the dollar store. I'm not sure how long the battery lasts but it might be an idea.

 

[Brookliner]

I just integrated my 6 chicks that are 8 weeks old with the rest of the flock. They have been with my broody hen Stella in a separate part of the coop since she hatched 3 and I added 3 that were 3 days old. They are all within a day or two in age. I have been agonizing over this since I have been making some changes to the big coop. So I decided that while the rest of the flock is somewhat disoriented with the new coop configuration I would open the door and let Stella and her brood out into the big coop. There was a flurry of flapping as the rooster came and did his rooster dance around Stella who miraculously re-appeared after 2 months and the chicks got totally ignored. Everyone seems happy. I hope Stella will take her chicks out into the run today. It is suppose to rain tomorrow so I doubt weather anyone will want to go out. Needless to say I will sleep better knowing that this task is behind me and all the chickens are getting along. I had feared it would be a blood bath. Stella is my avatar and the chick on her back is one of the now 8 week old chicks. Tonight I hope that they will all magically fly up onto the roost -- LOL.