I checked on the chickens first thing and they were out happily in the dog crate. I decided to leave them and wait until the rest of the family were up to unleash them into the wider world.
My eldest son and his partner stayed with us last night to see the new arrivals as soon as possible and see how they react to their first day with us.
After breakfast we went in and removed the dog crate so they could enter their bigger world. They went straight to the feeder and water which I though was a good sign.
All three come out and head for the food
We decided to tackle putting on the leg rings, it was much more difficult to catch them than we thought it would be. We managed to pick up Pepper and get the purple ring on but the others were having none of it and either hid behind the coop or under the big shrub. We decided to leave it for another day as we didn’t want to stress them.
Putting a purple leg ring on Pepper
We gave them some noodles as a treat which they loved. I got this idea from “Spice Girls“. As the day progressed and we kept checking in on them, they became much braver and gradually explored the whole of the enclosure and were comfortable with us being close to them. In the afternoon they had their first dust bath under the shrub with Dotty the smallest and youngest being the first and most vigorous to do so.
The first dust bath
At 7.30pm we went to check on them again and found that they had already put themselves to bed. They were all in the nest box and chirruping away to each other. I do want them to use the perches eventually but as they are getting settled in, have decided to leave them be for now. We were pleased to hear them sounding so happy and feel they have come on in leaps and bounds for their first day.
Click here to see the history of my flock.
Congrats! I’m sure that they’ll be tame very soon. Just take a chair out there and sit quietly with them. Toss a treat now and then. Since they’re not laying yet, block off the nesting boxes (or remove if you can.) They’ll quickly learn to use the roosts. If you let them sleep in nesting boxes now, that’s what they’ll prefer, so don’t let them get in the habit. Enjoy your new flock!
Thank you Terry. I will block off the nest box tonight. I have a little wooden chair hanging in the enclosure, high up so it doesn’t get pooped on hopefully. I just adore my girls already, they were worth the wait.
It was great to come down and see the chooks yesterday. It feels like we have been waiting for so long!
I thought it was amazing how even just over the course of a day they already started to become a little bit tamer. Next time I see them I expect they will be all over you waiting for tasty treats!
It has been a long wait but worth it now. Just another day and they are already looking at us for treats every time we go in. They now run to us rather than away which is really good.