A whole new world...

 After some time of spending their days in the sunshine in the Go run,  it was time to think about letting them sleep outside.

The chicks loved the freedom,. Because the weather was so good, we got them out in the morning, as soon as the grass was dry (they weren't fully feathered so we can't let them get wet),  and they stayed out until about 7pm (unless the weather changed and we had to bring them in earlier).  The Hen was on all the time they were out there, just in case they needed it. (They didn't).

 We added a swing and a dustbath.

 

Every morning we ferried them, two by two, from the shed to the run.  Right from the start we have been carrying them properly, so they get used to being picked up that way.       Every evening we ferried them, two by two, back into the shed.  If we went out during the day,  we repeated the process.

Most of them quickly got used to being carried this  way and were calm. A couple, not so much.   But it was OK.

We spent a lot of time catching them and feeding them while we were holding them  special food,  or stroking them while they were eating the special food.   A lot of time was spent kneeling alongside the run, leaning in to catch/release them.


A week ago, I decided to let the chicks stay out overnight in the coop.  The small electric hen (EH) was already in there (although it hadn't been turned on). 

It had been a hot day, and overnight was forecast to be fairly warm.  12 chicks in the back of a GoUp - I didn't need to turn on the EH.

We had to catch them and put them in the coop.  Before bed I checked on them, and saw that the top of the EH was crammed with chicks, with those that hadn't been able to force themselves on stuck underneath.  I shooshed them off and put the large EH in.

Day 2, all but 2 put themselves to bed.

Day 3, all put themselves to bed.

It was all going well.

Except.   I was struggling to catch them.  I can get down OK and I can get up OK.  What is difficult -  at the moment -  is leaning into the run to catch them.    We have doors everywhere on the run, even inside so we can shut them in the front end to make it easier to catch them, but it was still taking its toll on my poor leg.