A new chicken gal

[TwoCrows]

Well, I jumped the gun. I had the 7 chicks (14 weeks) in the new coop for 5 nights. I let them into the run today and had a great time. I taught three to go back up the ramp to get food and water. When the sun set, they started going crazy. The three I taught went up, but the others were freaking out, making them act possessed! They were scared. After being attacked (she wanted to fly through me to the tree behind the coop) I asked my husband to help gather them up and physically put them in the coop. I realize I screwed up. How long should they stay in the coop to know that's where you go when the sun goes down? Does my time start over? Thanks for your future encouraging words. Feeling pretty low right now.

Usually a few days of being locked up in the coop will do the trick. But what I like to do with new chicks is go out before dusk and start to get them in. I use a small treat of seeds or grains. After a couple of nights, they come to expect this little snack and go in on their own. If you wait until it is dark, they can freak out. So start the process a bit before it gets to dark. Some people use a night light in the coop to help them go in as well.