A day will come when I can't catch them

[ThaJuicyJuice]

I have 4 week old chicks, that I let run around while I am working on their coop. The coop isn't done and they are in temporary housing outside. When it's time for them to go back in, I have the hardest time catching them. When it's time for them to move into the coop and I let them out. Will I have to catch them, or will they return to coop on their own?

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

When it's time for them to move into the coop and I let them out. Will I have to catch them, or will they return to coop on their own?

Keep them locked in for a couple of days and they will probably return on their own​

 

[SunnyCalifornia]

Those little boogers are fast aren't they!! I have 4 week olds too. They are spending their first night outside tonight!!

I'm a nervous mommy. I've always kept them inside WAY too long before putting them out. Its 9:30 pm, and still 59 degrees out. Not too cold. We're only supposed to get to 54 tonight, so they should be okay?? There's 10 of them all piled together in a tiny little hut. The roof is ventilated, but should be draft free. They've been outside from early morning to evening for the past week, and have lots of feathers grown in...

I'm nervous. I really love those little guys! But I need them to be "out of the brooder" now.

 

[mrsp523]

Last Spring I had my first experience with chicks going from inside brooder to outside coop. With lots of help and suggestions from BYC folks I put them out in coop around 9 weeeks maybe 10. I was told to leave them in coop for several days before letting them out to free range. They came in at night no problem doing it this way. I dont think we let them out of coop for well over a week. We ended up putting a run around the coop because we didnt want them to free range all day due to preditors. We used a 10x10 dog kennel with chicken wire over top to keep the hawks away. Took them a while to get used to the change with the run...but in no time they were all set.

Good luck!

 

[shelleyd2008]

You need to train them to go in when YOU want them to. My chickens love bird seed, it's a mixture of black oil sunflowers, milo, millet, wheat, and cracked corn. I bet if you had something like that and tossed it into their pen they'd go without a fight

 

[Mattemma]

I shake a bag with greens in it to get them to come to the chicken shed.My red sex links will squat when I come near them,so they are very easy to catch.My EEs don't squat so I sometimes chase them.

 

[Luke13:34]

I let mine out into the yard three times a day. I have them trained that when they hear me clap, it's time to go back in the run. If not, I have a long stick I use to gently guide them back. Treats are also a good motivator.

 

[Celtic Chick]

Quote:
Keep them locked in for a couple of days and they will probably return on their own

Ditto. Keep them in a few days so they know where "home" is. Then when you let them out, they will return at dusk to their roosts. It is programmed into their genetic makeup. If you do have a problem, bribery works well also. Toss some scratch grain or other treats into the coop & get ready to slam the door!