chickens won't use their coop.

[broken08]

So I have 15 4 month old Javas that have only know Illinois summer. They always sleep outside in one big huddled pile of feathers. They refuse to go in the coop, which is heated. I use the coop as a go through to the main yard I let them in to when I'm home, so I know they know how to get in their coop.

Is it normal for them to want to sleep outdoors? It is in a fully fenced area, but I have this fear that they are dumb enough to stay outside when it gets cold and they will freeze. will they?

My coop is slightly undersized since I didn't mean to have so many, so I'm sure thats part of it. It's clean too.

other thoughts: they have to go up a 1 foot high ramp through a foot long tunnel to get in the coop, does that bother them? Like I said, they go through it fine to get to the yard.

This is my first time having chickens and I don't know anyone who has them. (well, second flock, but we won't talk about the racoons.)

thanks all!

 

[saladin]

Surely you don't have the heat on now do you?

If you want them to use the coop then you need to lock them in it for a couple of days/nights. Then they'll use it.

I'd wait until colder weather to do that.

 

[srpaint]

Just keep putting them in there. They will figure it out. I have 9 now that I have to put in the coop every night before lock down. They will get it at some point though.