Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[Luvachicken]

Originally, I had the 3 older girls in the cube and the 4 pekin babies in the eglu classic.

Each afternoon for the last few weeks I have let them all play together for an hour or so with me watching them.

Then it got freezing cold and I let them play together but I stayed indoors.

They all seem to get on well, with Lucie (bottom of the older girls) making sure she will not be bottom anymore.

Then sadly Suzie died leaving just the 2 in the cube, so yesterday I thought that they may as well stay together all day but at bedtime they went to their individual houses.

They did the same again tonight even though they could have chosen where to go.

 

Shall I just bite the bullet and chuck them all into the cube at bedtime tomorrow ?

It seems such a big house for 2 to try and keep warm especially as they've said more cold weather is coming next week.

I don't want to upset the harmony they seem to have already. (I don't mind cleaning out the 2 houses)

Even after almost 6 years this chicken keeping lark gets me worried.

[Grandmashazzie]

Luvachicken if it were me I would put them together for a few nights and then see if they get used to it.As you say they will be cosier in together.

[mollyripkim]

I would put them together as well. Maybe let them go to sleep then pop them all together. Sorry you lost Suzie.

[Chicken shack]

I would also put them together! Let them go to bed then pick them up and pop them in the after a couple of nights they should go on their own. Close the door after a few nights.

[gavclojak]

Me too.....I would pop them in after they had gone to sleep then after a few days block off the other house so they have no choice. X

[mullethunter]

I would put them all together too luvachicken. I know it's a worry changing the status quo but I think you're right in your concern that 2 pekins won't be very cosy in a cube. You said you needed to trust your instincts...

[Luvachicken]

Decision made then.

Tomorrow I will help them find their way into the cube.

 

Mullethunter, you are right about the 2 being warm as Gemma usually sleeps in the nest box and Lucie on the roosting bars.

 

Thank you all for helping me decide on the best thing to do

[bill2b]

I know we are mere novices in the Chicken scene, Irene has had chickens in the past but I have nearly a years experience, but after our cleaning of Mutha's rear end we both saw how calm a chicken can be when it is placed in a dark box so I imagine if you got the ladies moved over at bedtime it should be OK, Fingers crossed

[miller30]

Well I'm gonna say it's up to you but 2 Pekins will be fine they won't get cold I have a frizzle and a poot both sleep on their roof all year round never go to bed even in the thick frosts we've been having if they want to go in they can but if they choose to get cold that's up to them they seem much happier being left to do what they want leanne

[Luvachicken]

Well, I kind of wanted them all in one place by half term anyway, this just brings it forward a little bit.

As they don't lay me any eggs they need to learn who is boss.

Off outside now with a cup of tea to keep me warm and guide them to the right bedroom, that's if Gemma will share

[mullethunter]

How did you get on?

[Luvachicken]

All tucked in

Had to scrabble around a bit and pop them in through the door with hubby shutting it each time one went in - as they kept trying to get out.

Just a bit of squawking but I think that was mostly the babies being upset about sleeping in the 'wrong' place.

Turfed Gemma out of the nest box twice but she is finally sleeping with the others.

 

All quiet now though

[mullethunter]

Well done. It'll probably only take a couple of nights of you having to do it. Especially if you close or remove the cube

[redsunset]

Well done, they will be so snug together I feel like going outside with my iPad and showing the doodles who are asleep in the tree the weather forecast on met office, xc weather etc and explaining its gonna snow soon, get thy backsides to a coop plz!! Or don't blame me if you have 3" of snow on your backs mid week!!

[Luvachicken]

They were desperate to go to sleep in their other house tonight.

Gosh do the bigger babies cry !!!!

Almost sounding like real babies

 

Anyway, I shut all of us inside the cube run and hoped the babies would go to bed themselves.

Gemma and Lucie went to bed first and the babies quickly got the hang of the new ladder but as soon as they got in Gemma turfed them out.

I managed to shut most of the door from the wrong side (hubby was out) and keep them in.

The biggest problem I actually had was stopping Gemma going back to the egg box.

Every time I got her out she would rush about the inside upsetting the others.

Finally she got the message

 

I hope they can do it themselves tomorrow as I did kind of fall in the run and fell on a wooden mushroom

[mullethunter]

Hope you're ok luvachicken. They'll get it eventually.

[Luvachicken]

Hope you're ok luvachicken. They'll get it eventually.

 

Thanks mullethunter, I'm ok

It was lucky I landed where I did