Coop Training when you can't lock em' in..How to?

Keep them locked in for about a week so they imprint on coop.  Then release only near very end of day and consider confining birds near doorway for a couple days.  This hopefully promotes birds find and intering door.  Ideally birds will go in an out through even before feeling need to roost.

Age of birds is important.

Define too hot.

Can you shade coop?

Can you make certain adequate ventilation is present?  No need usually for forced air like fan.

Plenty of water at all times?

How old are chicks?

My young birds can handle 110 F for a few hours each day so long as having adequate water, shade and airflow.

EDIT:  Just looked at what I suspect is your A-frame coop.  You are setup well designed to combat heat.  Wet ground all over.  Even a piece of tarp over run area will help immensly.  Be carefull not to obstruct airflow.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Euphillia 

I have zero shade, no trees. 96+ degrees. The most I could do is run a fan with an extension cord, but I doubt that would be enough. Birds are 15 weeks old and already pant by mid morning in the shade. 110 degrees scares me, could not imagine making them go thru that.

Show a picture of you coop.  If you have to put more birds at risk to predators because of heat issues, then a redesign is needed.

Panting is normal heat dissipating response and often first engaged.  Birds at 15 weeks are much more heat resistant than adults.  Again, make certain they have ample water.  Also wet ground below them.  The evaporation occuring later will cool air above as well as ground.

I meant no fan needed.  Can you place a sheet of something like plywood over coop so that sheet deflects most heat and absorbs much of rest to heat air above rather than coop below.  I like to have a nice gap between coop and sheet enabline airflow to take away heating from sunlight.  Position so sun is blocked during hottest part of day basically from 12:00 to 5:00 PM

EDIT: Just looked at what I suspect is your A-frame coop. You are setup well designed to combat heat. Wet ground all over. Even a piece of tarp over run area will help immensly. Be carefull not to obstruct airflow.

Also a thought.  Put a light in the coop when it gets darker outside than inside they may go in (OR PUT THEM IN) and if they go in and its darker outside they won;t go back out until it gets light. They will catch on.   If you don't have electricity heres a trick.  Take a couple solar lights you may have in a garden or walkway just when you want them to go in place the lights in the coop like in a corner or something by the time the lights go out they should be roosting.  Hope this helps, the heat is awful!!