at what age do chicks start going in at night?

[and-roo]

my chicks are 5 and 6 weeks old and i have them out in their part of the run during the day but i put them in right before dusk. it's pretty difficult because they go under the coop and i have to get them out. i was just wondering when they will start going in by themselves at night without me having to put them in.

 

[V-NH]

Mine are 5 weeks old and they just went out for the first time yesterday. Within 24 hours, they load themselves up at night. I filled the underside of my coop with all kinds of bricks and cement blocks so that they can't go under it. Their options are stay out in the open or go inside the coop. They choose the coop.

 

[gg706]

Mine sat inside the run tonight screeching. They knew that they shouldn't be outside but I guess did not know where to go. So I put them up AGAIN tonight! Hopefully they get it soon. I am glad you asked the question I was going to ask the same thing.

 

[Brookliner]

Put a light on a timer in the coop. Set it to turn on 1 hour before dark and off 1 hour after dark. They will go in to follow the light. You can go out to close them up and check to see that they all made it in. I do a head count.

 

[gg706]

Thank you! I may try that if they don't catch on soon. I have a chicken tractor so any light would have to run off extension cords. Going to build a more permenant coop soon, electricity is high on my list!

 

[smccuen]

Mine are between 5 and 6 weeks old. I moved them from inside the house to their new coop when they were 4 weeks old. They stayed inside the coop for 6 days and nights while I built their fenced run around it. By then they knew where home was so when I began letting them out into the run each morning they "got it" and each evening as the sky darkens they all go inside and hop up on the roost before I go out and shut the pop door.

 

[Brookliner]

You can also try closing them up in the roost area for a few days until they know that is where they are suppose to go.

 

[gg706]

I did close them up in the roost area. They went there as soon as they were feathered to go outside. On warm days I would take them out and put them in the range pen and then back to the roost at night. I have only been letting them in with the regular flock for 3 days. I was hoping they would learn from the big chickens. Maybe they will get it soon. If not I will go to plan B - a light and extension cords for awhile. Thanks for the help!

 

[twsfarm]

I had problems with mine going in the coop at night also. I read about putting a light in the coop to "draw" them in. It works wonders. I turn the light on about 30 minutes before dark and they start calling to each other to go in to the coop. I close the door after all are in and turn off the light about 15 minutes later.

 

[and-roo]

thanks! that helps a lot! i already have a light in there that's usually on so i'll just try letting them go in tomorrow night. and should i still have a heat lamp for them at this age?