6 week olds trained to go to coop at dusk!

[jenfarsh]

I just wanted to share my little chicken happiness! I moved my 14 babies to their big coop at 2 weeks old, these are my first chookies

, with the red heat lamp of course. Around week 4 they were pretty much feathered out and the temps allowed me to let them play in the yard... Which became a routine for the last week of the heat lamp. Once these little bitties tasted freedom they relished it! Well after the heat lamp was removed, the coop at dusk was very scary for them and they refused to go back in. I was chasing chicks all over to collect them and force them in

. Then the wailing,crashing,flapping mess carried on until they finally fell asleep on the roost. Needless to say this episode repeated for several nights. I read a few solutions to this problem: either give them a nightlight or just wait it out and eventually they will catch on. I did not want to get into crutches... I was happy to put away the extension cords to the coop and not interested in buying a battery night light. Well, after a few nights of rounding them up and cringing at the crying... Tonight they all ran to the pop door at exactly the same time I had started rounding them up!! I was SO happy! I purposefully went out at the same time to gather them up thinking they would get the routine... And it worked! Yeah!

 

[TheCrazyChick]

Yay for you!

I put my 8 week olds in the outside coop last week. Yesterday they were allowed down below into the run. I had to actually crawl on my belly in the dark to get them back up into the coop. I was not happy. Today I opened the floor pop door at 8am and said "you're on your own today girls! Figure it out!" they did. I found they'd all climbed back into the coop at dusk when I went out to check.I was very pleased today.

Let's hope your girls and mine continue with their good behavior!

 

[thasista]

Now that is a cause for celebration. I still have some adults that won't go in.

 

[jenfarsh]

They are all still going in but they are big nerds because they stay outside until they can barely see...then it's a mad scramble to find a spot on the roost...haha and they ALL want that ONE tiny space in the corner right NOW!

 

[jkhenry]

think im gonna have to block off my roosting pen cuz thats where they wanna stay rather than roam aroundcin the run then before dark open up roost hope i can get them in same routine it would b great to have them co operate

 

[jkhenry]

my chickies r 3 weeks old and still a lil leary bout the new home but im being calm and patient with them

 

[jenfarsh]

Funny little things... Are they trying to stay near the heat lamp? Mine are afraid of the dark! Being patient is all we can do sometimes

 

[jkhenry]

i only put them out in the day time for now but when i put them in the
pen they go straight to the coop

 

[jenfarsh]

Probably just a safety thing. They like to find little hiding spots. Mine are always cautious when out on the lawn but relax when hiding under a little bush! It's a natural instinct to not be out in the open. I'm sure yours will explore more with each passing day. Just last evening I found mine in the front yard out of sight!

 

[jkhenry]

question may b silly but i have to ask im told to feed my chicks
chick start and grow for 16 weeks when they start layin to switch to layer
pellets question is do i continue to fill their feed trough full and let them
eat as much as they want or is there a age limit i need to start cutting back
on their feeding