Chickens sleeping outside in pen?

[ksohn79]

So our girls have not used the roost in the coop to sleep. They started sleeping tucked up together inside in a corner when we first moved them out to coop. Then we left the pop door open one night when we got home late, we found all four girls sleeping on top of open pop door inside the run. They have been there ever since. I can't believe the four of them can still fit on there as they grow but they somehow manage.

Any suggestions? Would you start putting them in the coop at night and closing the door again? Any ideas why they would do this?

 

[milo1108]

I'm having an issue with some new ones I have gotten. I just go out every night and place them inside of the coop with the other ones. I think they will get the idea eventually.

 

[ksohn79]

Tonight it's pouring rain and windy and they are on top of the door all huddled up. Granted there is a roof, it's still close to the outside of the run and I can only imagine they are getting wet. I don't understand why they wouldn't go in the coop?

 

[nuchickontheblock]

for their safety from predators and as winter gets closer, you may want to either keep them entirely in the coop for a few days, or put them on the roost each night and close up the pop door until they get the idea.

Good luck.

 

[ksohn79]

Thanks. I was thinking the same thing. I am not so concerned about predators based on where they are but it is getting cold at night. My husband thinks that if they are cold, they'll go in. Do you think this is true? I was thinking that they choose that spot as their roosting spot and will go to it despite the weather. Thoughts?