chickens wont sleep in coop at night

[pancho51o]

i’ve recently moved my 3 month old chickens outside but they wont go in coop at night they sleep in the run how should i get them used to sleep in the coop

 

[Theorrin]

at night move them in the coop and close it up. might have to do it a week or so but theyll learn

 

[pancho51o]

with food and water? or empty

 

[Ridgerunner]

with food and water? or empty

As long as you let them out reasonably early it doesn't matter.

Just toss them in after it is dark and leave them in overnight.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They do need to be homed to the coop to ensure they use it. When you moved them outside, did you restrict them to the coop at first or no?

On top of that can we get better photos of the coop from further back? Is the coop well lit at dusk via natural light, or artificial light if coop placement doesn't allow for a lot of natural light. Is the coop well ventilated? Lots of parts of the world are running super hot right now so if the coop is hotter or stuffier than the run they won't want to go in. Is there a ramp or ladder to get into the coop, and if so, have you seen them use it? Chickens don't seem to take to ramps easily without being taught.

 

[KyCoop]

I moved my young girls at night while they were sleeping. Had to do this 2 nights but they did it on their own after that. I also left the auto door open as I didn't want them to wake up and everyone decide they didn't like the sleeping arrangements and it turn into the Thunder dome with no way to escape.

 

[Roosterinthecity]

If the coop is attached to the run and no fear of predators…let them be.

 

[MasterofNone]

My chicks were doing this recently. At dusk they were huddling in the run on a step because the adult roosting drama was too much. I carried them in for a few nights but that got old fast. So I started hosing the run down around them and basically herding them to the pop door with the water stream. I didn't directly spray them at all, but they probably got a little splatter. Just enough for them to hightail it into the coop where they belong.

Our coop is secured against predators but the run isn't as secure. I don't want them relying on me each night. They need to develop a healthier pattern of behavior long term IMHO.

A couple nights of herding them with a waterhose, and they got it.