new to chickens

cheekychick22 · « **on:** March 10, 2012, 21:37 »

I have been out today and brought the whole set up for keeping chickens. I have 4 birds two coppers one white sussex and a speckled grey they are adorable. they are settling well eating and drinking and foraging around. the bit that I am not sure about is getting them in the coop at night
to keep them safe. will they start to go in by themselves or will i have to keep picking them up to put them in.

New shoot · « **Reply #1 on:** March 11, 2012, 08:29 »

Welcome to chicken keeping

You will love it

Once they have learned where home is, chickens put themselves away at night

You can shut them in the coop for 24 hours to settle them, but sounds like yours have been out already, so not to worry. They will probably go straight to bed tonight on their own, but if not, should only take a few days.

The thing you do have to be careful of is foxes. If you have a run they are secured in, you can close the coop up whenever you get home. If they free-range and just go back to a house at night, you will have to close this up promply at dusk

hen-night · « **Reply #2 on:** March 11, 2012, 09:36 »

Hi and welcome, perfect answer from new shoot.
Enjoy your hens, and of course their eggs..

nerdle · « **Reply #3 on:** March 11, 2012, 17:17 »

Welcome to the forum and this wonderful feathery clucky world. Unless you lose them to a fox (be fox proof) it will be heavenly all the way!

cheekychick22 · « **Reply #4 on:** March 11, 2012, 17:31 »

thanks for the advice they have been going in and out of the coop all day which is a good sign. They seem very happy. my garden is fox proof we have 9 foot fences which are beded two foot under ground and the coop is off the floor with the the strongest mesh for the run. im already really enjoying it and we have had them running around the garden today but only when we are out with them to many cats around including my own lol.

Tony H · « **Reply #5 on:** March 12, 2012, 03:42 »

Hi and welcome sorry but youre fence isnt totaly fox proof and wont stop some determined foxes or mink

but your coop sounds fine

toasted · « **Reply #6 on:** March 12, 2012, 09:45 »

the first few nights i had to put mine in there coop, after that theyd wait for me to go out and say goodnight before going in, now they go in on there own but not until its dark, if theres any light left theyl still be outside.

cheekychick22 · « **Reply #7 on:** March 17, 2012, 20:20 »

sorry havent had chance to come on they started going in last night on thier own and we had our first eggs this morning

nerdle · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2012, 16:55 »

Congratulations!

JACDORE · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2012, 19:07 »

Congratulations in becoming chookparents, lol. U wont be without keeping chooks now, the just grrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat

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new to chickens

cheekychick22

new to chickens

New shoot

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hen-night

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nerdle

Re: new to chickens

cheekychick22

Re: new to chickens

Tony H

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toasted

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cheekychick22

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nerdle

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JACDORE

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