Chicks won't sleep in safe-nest area

[kmere]

We have 5 week old Cochins & buff orpingtons. Mom rejected them, so- I'm mom. They are in a "nursery coop" with a back-area nest for sleeping & protection. Every night, we find all 9 piled together right against the wire- exposed- today- sopping wet (rain). For weeks we have gone out and put them in the nest. They scream & fuss & all run out in a panic. We have to close the entire best area up with make-shift walls within their coop. It's as if they are afraid of the dark!

Any ideas? We've never had this problem with a flock. And we have no electricity for a "night-light". And a raccoon population explosion. They need to go in the safe zone. We did try putting them in a small coop with an "upstairs roost" area. They freaked out again and smashed up against the wire walls there, too(
Thanks for any help...

 

[junebuggena]

They aren't afraid of the dark, they can't see in the dark. They aren't just going to walk into a big black hole. Try putting a battery powered or solar light in there so they can see. Turn it on about a half hour before 'roosting' time. When you go out to shut the door, you can switch it off.

 

[drumstick diva]

Actually birds shouldn't sleep in the nest boxes - if they do they will poo over the eggs. Nest boxes are for laying eggs only. They should be sleeping above -on the roost bars. You may actually have to place them on the bars at night till they get the idea and do it themselves. You should have a light in the coop on right before dusk so they will enter the coop. Then you can place on roost bars (till they figure the routine out themselves) and turn light off and leave & close the coop door.. Birds don't like to move in the dark, so they should stay put until morning.

 

[BantamFan4Life]

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[trailrider330]

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