TexasTransplant
In the Brooder
- May 19, 2016
- 22
- 3
- 21
Hi all, I am a first time chicken owner with lots to learn. I have 15 buff ops and 1 'mystery chick' all are 8 weeks old. We have a 7 foot high fenced area that is 50 x 60ft and keeps them in, but it is not predator proof from flying predators, and our coop is inside the fenced area. I have been allowing them to free range during the day and put them in the coop at night around dusk.
There are lots of shrubs, bushes, small trees and shady areas that they seem to love and provides plenty of cover to hide under, but during the night it is way too dangerous for them to remain outside and I am trying to find the best way to get them to go in. We didn't build a run because we thought the coop within the fenced area would be ok, coop at night, free range in daytime.
The problem is that they don't choose to go in the coop, they prefer to hang out cuddled together under the shrubs. I have been getting them in by removing any food in the afternoon and putting the food in the coop at dusk while calling 'chick chick chick' and they come running in, but they fight like crazy over the food and knock it all over the place. The coop is a mobile 'chickshaw' type coop with a wire floor and so lots of food is getting wasted. I would like to know if there is a way to get them to want to go in without having to use food to make them go.
We are planning to build a new coop with run, but that isn't going to be ready for a couple of months.
Any advice is much appreciated.
There are lots of shrubs, bushes, small trees and shady areas that they seem to love and provides plenty of cover to hide under, but during the night it is way too dangerous for them to remain outside and I am trying to find the best way to get them to go in. We didn't build a run because we thought the coop within the fenced area would be ok, coop at night, free range in daytime.
The problem is that they don't choose to go in the coop, they prefer to hang out cuddled together under the shrubs. I have been getting them in by removing any food in the afternoon and putting the food in the coop at dusk while calling 'chick chick chick' and they come running in, but they fight like crazy over the food and knock it all over the place. The coop is a mobile 'chickshaw' type coop with a wire floor and so lots of food is getting wasted. I would like to know if there is a way to get them to want to go in without having to use food to make them go.
We are planning to build a new coop with run, but that isn't going to be ready for a couple of months.
Any advice is much appreciated.
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