Chickens afraid to go in coop??

[cath0617]

Hello,

Its warmer here so I put my just about 7 week chicks out in the new coop. They do not understand to go inside at night time so I have read on here that I should physically put them in every night. I have a few questions.......First, how long do I continue to put them inside at night time? And second when I do put them inside they act funny, almost like they wanna get back out. Why would this be?
I have read to put a light in there for them because they do not like going in dark places at first but then other people say NO light.......Help! This is my first time with chickens.

 

[outdoorbunny]

We turn on a light while they make their way into the coop each night. Then after they settle down on their perch, of coarse after grabbing a quick drink or a bit of food, I turn off their light.

 

[cath0617]

We turn on a light while they make their way into the coop each night. Then after they settle down on their perch, of coarse after grabbing a quick drink or a bit of food, I turn off their light.

How long do you plan on doing that? How old are your chickens?

 

[StoneyHillCoop]

I am a newbie, but because we own a separate business, my schedule might not necessarily be my "girls". We have a fairly large coop, so I shut them up in the evening, when it fits for me. We have raccoons, snakes, ferril cats, possums, AND my own dogs, so SAFETY for the girls is job one. That being said, they spend the vast majority of the day "free will" between the coop and 60 foot run. In training the dogs to stay away from the run and coop, I used a hose end sprayer. Come to find out, the hens don't want to be anywhere near that sprayer either! So all I have to do is turn on the water, spray a few squirts in the air (never on them), and they make a B-line for the coop, I latch the door, and everybody is safe for the night - on my time.

 

[outdoorbunny]

How long do you plan on doing that? How old are your chickens?

My chickens range from 3 years old to 6 weeks. The light thing is something I do every night for them. And I'll probably will keep doing it.

 

[cath0617]

Yay!! They went inside tonight on their own. We took down the roosting pole that was out in the run so I guess they had no choice.
Thank you all.

 

[StoneyHillCoop]

Actually, I haven't had to do that in quite a long while. They are in there when I go to shut them up.