Chickens having trouble going to coop at night

[Chickens-are-cool]

Hi! So I have 6 seven and a half week old chicks. It had been warm here so they have been outside for 2 weeks now. I put them to bed every night and they still won’t go by themselves? Every day it is a struggle putting them in one at a time and every time I open the coop door to put another in, they all try to fly out. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to get them to go to the coop themselves because I am going on vacation in about a week and I don’t want to bother my neighbor (who is feeding and watering them during that time) with putting them to bed every night.

 

[hysop]

Lock them in the coop with a fan for a full day. Maybe that will help them understand that is their new home.

 

[sspare]

What time do you put them "to bed". Mine went out into the yard at 7 weeks old. The had the hang of it by the second night. They were all tucked in the coop by themselves but I wait till a little past dusk. Its actually almost dark. You could try shaking a bag of mealworms in the coop. Mine are VERY food motivated.

 

[Folly's place]

Welcome!
Right now mine go in at dusk/ near dark, and aren't all in until after 9pm. Trying too early will be very frustrating for you!
How about pictures of your coop and run? If your coop is very dark and airless, nobody will want to be in it!
Mary

 

[donddon]

Exactly what Mary said. I put mine in, one at a time, at dusk on the first night. There are only six of them, but I probably put 40 of them away before I got the door shut. The next night, I set my alarm for 9PM, went outside, and they were all in on their own.

 

[Ryguy3684]

I put a light on, in the coop, for the first couple of nights. When dusk approached, they went in on their own. I have my light on a timer, so it gives them enough time to get settled in on their roosts.