Chickens afraid of the Coop?

[lbartsch]

Our 16 week old chickens were doing just fine and then last Saturday night my husband forgot to close the coop and a raccoon took advantage and attacked. The raccoon got one hen and injured two others. We took the injured chickens for stitches and it looks like they are going to be ok - thankfully. We had them inside in the a little recovery area we set up in the garage until tonight. I put them back in the coop with their healthy sister but they really didn't want to go in the coop. One in particular seems like it was scared. I just picked them up and put them in hoping that a safe night or two in there would do the trick. Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[M.sue]

Try locking them in the coop for a full day or two. Interact /check on them regularly. Maybe that'll give them a sense that it's safe.

 

[lbartsch]

Thanks. We'll see what happens.

 

[Henrychics]

Our 9 week old girls just moved into their outdoor living quarters. They are very afraid at night when we put them into their coop. They haven't learned to use the ladder yet to go in and out on their own. Does it take awhile for them to learn to like the coop? It is pitch black, no light at night which of course they have been use to their heat lamp on for 24 hrs a day. Is this normal behavior? Thanks.

 

[Paul 1952]

We've got six that are 6 to 8 weeks old and have been in the tractor for about a week and a half... maybe they're 9 weeks. Who knows... ;-) Anyway ... the tractor has a floor ramp/door ... we put them in the coop part and left the door closed for 2 or 3 days just to get them used to the coop... then we started with opening the ramp/door, they seemed to master it quickly enough once they got brave enough.
We did have a light in the coop area just for light not heat... turned it off the second day they came out into the run and they wouldn't go back up into the dark scary coop, until we turned on the light. They go up and settle in for a bit and we close the door and turn off the light. They get to peepin' but that's just letting each other know it's okay... or not. ;-) We just started tonight leaving the light off and they did go back up into the coop and so will try to leave it off for a while but will use it as needed.

And lbartsch that's a bummer! Maybe try a light in the coop if it's not already lit so the chick can see there's no danger. It'll take some doing though I'd think ... good luck with that.

 

[markandcindy]

Last Christmas I bought a small string of white lights that are solar-powered so they're not as bright and they turn on and off by themselves. It provides a dim background light in the coop for my chickens.