Chickens at night coop

[Tane Z]

I have stayed up two nights in a row to teach kynone month old girls to go in the coop at night and it seems like they don't care if they go in or not but start their "freak out" chirping when the sun sets because they don't know what to do. I have lured them in the coop with bread at night and then they freak out more and huddle while in the coop. My run is attached to the elevated coop and very secure from predators. My husband says to leave them be and they will figure it out but they haven't yet and their freak out chirps breaks my heart. Any advise? Should I leave them alone and let them figure it out in their own? I don't have a door on the coop and I don't fear for their safety at all but their fraknout chirps really break my heart like I've failed them in teaching them what to do at sunset. Help please.

 

[duluthralphie]

You need to run them in earlier, and or leave a light on inside the coop at dark and they should go in.....

They will never go into a dark building at dusk as they cannot see into the coop and it scares them. A light will make a diff..

 

[Tane Z]

I tried a light and it seemed to freak them out more. I am going to make a roosting bar that goes width wise so it's longer and higher and I think that may help them as well as what you said of putting them in before it's sunset.

 

[lazy gardener]

It's normal for the little ones to freak out. They have no mama, and know they are unprotected. They also do not like change. I'm assuming you've recently moved them to the coop/run? They are not yet homed to it. In their little pea brains, they've lost their brooder home.

 

[Tane Z]

That makes a lot of sense. Tonight will be night three.

 

[lazy gardener]

Also, if they were brooded with a heat lamp, they have not experienced normal day/night cycles. Yet an other of the many benefits of heating pad brooding. They'll "get it" soon.

 

[DIGGIN CHICKEN]

About two months back i moved my coop ... it been in the same spot for the last 2 years and really messed up the grass surronding it . So i moved it with out thinking ... about 10 meters over ... they usually go settle down at about 5.30 - 6 every evening since i never shut the door ... but on that particular evening ... they went to the spot where the coop used to be and stood there like idiots ... the coop was in plain sight ... so i thought id give them more time ...theyll come around ... they refused ... ended up searching a hectare 8 oclock at night in the dark with a flash light ... they were sleeping every where but the coop ... took two of us over an hour to find them all and lug them screaming blue murder back to the coop one by one .... kept them in lock down for a couple of days ... after that ... no probs ... i recon they work on gps and not recognition . Lock them in for a spell ....

 

[lazy gardener]

About two months back i moved my coop ... it been in the same spot for the last 2 years and really messed up the grass surronding it . So i moved it with out thinking ... about 10 meters over ... they usually go settle down at about 5.30 - 6 every evening since i never shut the door ... but on that particular evening ... they went to the spot where the coop used to be and stood there like idiots ... the coop was in plain sight ... so i thought id give them more time ...theyll come around ... they refused ... ended up searching a hectare 8 oclock at night in the dark with a flash light ... they were sleeping every where but the coop ... took two of us over an hour to find them all and lug them screaming blue murder back to the coop one by one .... kept them in lock down for a couple of days ... after that ... no probs ... i recon they work on gps and not recognition . Lock them in for a spell ....

I hate to laugh at your difficulty... but... Wow!

 

[Crooked Chicken]

I have stayed up two nights in a row to teach kynone month old girls to go in the coop at night and it seems like they don't care if they go in or not but start their "freak out" chirping when the sun sets because they don't know what to do. I have lured them in the coop with bread at night and then they freak out more and huddle while in the coop. My run is attached to the elevated coop and very secure from predators. My husband says to leave them be and they will figure it out but they haven't yet and their freak out chirps breaks my heart. Any advise? Should I leave them alone and let them figure it out in their own? I don't have a door on the coop and I don't fear for their safety at all but their fraknout chirps really break my heart like I've failed them in teaching them what to do at sunset. Help please.

You don't say if you have a run attached to the coop or if they are out in the yard. Also, what is your location? You said you are not worried about their safety.

If they are in a secure run, it would be a good idea to have a small door so they can come and go as they please. Close them in at night. If they are free ranging, it might be a good idea to keep them in the coop and run for a few days so that they will become more comfortable with it. They will be more likely to view it as a safe haven.

 

[Tane Z]

I do have an attached coop and run and we are currently building a twelve foot long by six foot wide run for them and then we are going to add on to the existing coop where it currently is to give them more space. There is an open door with no way to close it off to keep them in but once they are out in then they stay in. I noticed last night that they all gathered in and around one of three nesting boxes. We had some ugly storms last night so I checked on them in between the rain. They are fine. I'm hoping they catch on soon and go in on their own.