4 days outside, will they learn to go in coop on their own?

[MaLoTu]

My chicks have been outside for 4 days, tonight will be their fourth night. The first two nights I physically put them in the coop and locked them in. Last night, I could not catch all of them (they went under their house) and I left them to go into the coop (or not) on their own. Tonight I wasn't planning on catching them and putting them away, however, they are just huddled together in the corner of the run. Will they learn on their own to go into the coop at night without my interference?

 

[SnowPeeOstrichU]

It probably depends partially on temperature.. If it's colder they might go in easier. A great way to teach them to go in when you want is to do it just before it gets dark and with some scratch. Get their attention and get them to follow you with a little scratch and then put some inside the coup so they go in. However, if it's warm outside and your run is protective enough, they should be fine sleeping in the run.

 

[jwilson48]

I locked mine in the coop for about a week before I ever let them out and never had any trouble with them. I think it made them realize it was home base!

 

[PaulandDoris]

we do the same thing JWilson does. Anytime we put out any new birds in the yard. we put them in their designated coop with food & water for about 4 days. On the 5th day we let them out to free range (no runs here). If they do not return to roost, we find them, put them back in for two more days and try again. We usually do not have to repeat the lock-in a third time. Once they are free ranging and roosting on their own, if they decide to change coops and roost with a different group of birds, we change them three times, then let them be. Although, that is causing a little bit of a problem now, because we now have two empty coops and everyone is in the original main coop which was only designed for six birds which a 10x10 was later added before we let our birds free range.

 

[MaLoTu]

My run is completely safe for them to be in all night. The temps are tolerable, so I am not worried about them freezing. I will try the scratch idea and see if that helps. I can't lock them in the coop because the doors on the back are screwed shut until we can properly attach the hinges. They go in and out of the house at leisure, but I wish they weren't so dumb when it came to night time and wanting to be sheltered!

Thanks everyone.