- Dec 14, 2011
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Hi. I just moved my 3 month old chickens to their coop/henhouse. The coop has a roof, and during the day the chicks seem very happy outside in their covered coop. However, they will not go into the henhouse at the end of the day. Since I moved them out of their brooder 3 days ago, I go out each evening to check on them and there they stand at the "human" coop door. I tried seeing if they would go into the henhouse via their "hen" sized door, no luck. Tonight I left open the big henhouse door to see if they would go up the ramp or fly in, but no luck again. So I have had to pick them up and put them into the henhouse each night. I live in California, so weather is not too bad, but it is cold enough that I worry about leaving them outside of the henhouse at night. Questions:
1. Is there a way to train/lure them into the henhouse at night? I have tried putting their favorite lettuce in the henhouse, but they don't seem to understand or be able to see that it is there.
2. Should I just let them stay outside at night, even if temp dip into the low 30's?
3. Correct me if I am wrong -- they don't need food or water in their henhouse do they, as long as they are only in their at night? Our food and water is in the covered coop which they can't access if they are locked into the henhouse.
Thanks so much for your help -- this is my first try at raising chickens, and I can use any help you can offer!
Marna
1. Is there a way to train/lure them into the henhouse at night? I have tried putting their favorite lettuce in the henhouse, but they don't seem to understand or be able to see that it is there.
2. Should I just let them stay outside at night, even if temp dip into the low 30's?
3. Correct me if I am wrong -- they don't need food or water in their henhouse do they, as long as they are only in their at night? Our food and water is in the covered coop which they can't access if they are locked into the henhouse.
Thanks so much for your help -- this is my first try at raising chickens, and I can use any help you can offer!
Marna