Bedtime for chicks in new house

[Gullygarden]

My 6 and a half week old chicks have been going out to their run in the daytime and being brought in to the brooder pen at night. This meant a trip in the carrier. Now they are ready to stay out, but they wait peeping plaintively at dusk in the most uncomfortable corner, expecting me to load them up and bring then in. When I go in with them and sit near the perch, they get up on the perch and go to sleep and then I leave. How long will it take them to stop needing to be put to bed?
Unintended consequences!

 

[NoseyChickens]

They should figure it out in a few days. Maybe a week.

 

[Gullygarden]

Thanks! I hope so!

 

[Nicole01]

They will get use to it in a few days. My first three girls had a hard time moving to the coop. They made a huge racket for the first couple nights while in the coop. I stayed with them and settled them down. They wanted to come back inside, I was bringing them in at night also prior to leaving them out there.

 

[Gullygarden]

Thank you. An interesting side effect of this has been that my most aloof boff Orpington turns out robe a real snuggler in the dark, and my lap sittingest BR goes right to sleep on the perch as soon as we all head over to it.

 

[Backyard Hencam]

This shouldn't go on long. The'll surprise you by being up on the roost by themselves in no time. Interesting about the BO. They can be real snugglers. My BO is such a sweet bird. Up on my lap in about 30 seconds. If I had the choice of only one breed it would be a BO. Be patient. Good luck!

 

[Gullygarden]

Update: tonight, the 6th, for the first time they are trying to go to bed on their own. They are getting up on the perch,down again, up again, with much complaining. I am proud mom. Hope they end up on the perch and not under it! yay!

 

[Gullygarden]

Success! they got on the perch and went to sleep!!!