Just moved chick's into coop... Theyre not good at going up at night!

How do I get the chick's to want to go up at night so I can shut them in? Sometimes they go easily but it's not something all four seem into. Right now I usually can get two to go up on their own by moving in their food and water.... But two will always remain below and I'll have to wait and pick them up and put them in through the side door. I'd love to "train" them to know how to go up at night but am not sure how to get started with it.

When I started my pulleys outside I also had to go out before dark and place them inside but what I did was,allways do it at the same time and after a week they would all be in and all I had to do was shut the door

What age do you introduce chichs from the brooder to the pen?

It's easy. First, using the chicks' favorite treat, teach them to come to you by using a verbal cue. It takes only about five minutes for them to learn.

Then when night comes, get inside the coop and call them in using the treat and the verbal cue. You will need to shut the door once they're in so they won't scoot back outside after the treats have been eaten.

My chicks are four weeks old today, and they've been living in the coop for almost a week. But they still need to be coaxed inside at night. It helps to wait until the chicks are good and ready to go to bed. You will know when they gather into a tight huddle and engage in their bedtime trilling that they are in the "mood". That makes the process easier because you're using their natural instinct to work in your favor.

Using a light inside the coop will help. I use a small flashlight to light the coop up so it's lighter inside than out in the run. They will be able to see where they're going, and it's a lot less scary for them. I turn the light off once they're settled. They will usually be ready to go inside on their own by five weeks.

Thanks for the advice azygous.

We kept them in the brooder for 4 weeks then moved them outside into the coop. We wanted to wait for it to warm up enough.

Their coop has an outside and inside portion. When they're in the yard doing monitored free range I can get them into the coop with their treats - I just cant get them up to the inside oart for the night

I'll try pushing the time of day to later when they're more ready fro sleep and see if that helps!

OHRED said:

When I started my pulleys outside I also had to go out before dark and place them inside but what I did was,allways do it at the same time and after a week they would all be in and all I had to do was shut the door

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Thanks!!!! I'll try and be consistent with times. That may help! Maybe its like - put baby to sleep - eat dinner then put chickens to sleep!

I have a raised coop and place them in a few times at night when they have roosted in the ground coop they grew up in. If there are other chickens in the coop then sometimes they are hesitant. Especially roosters. One would simple not go stay in the coop with the other rooster regardless of what was outside. They will go in at dusk on their own but usually not before.
Going from one perched roost to the other at night only took 3-5 times and then I close off the ground coop and double check but they work it out and go in the raised coop at dusk.
The verbal cue is a good idea. My chickens will all come at a dead run when I whistle.
If you have further issues, you could put food and water inside the coop and leave them in past sunrise. I haven't had issues with aggression or such even with established chickens and new chickens.