Chicks Don’t Like Their Coop?

[KristyB]

My 5+ week old Americana (Easter egger) chicks were growing out of their brooder box. They were restless and had a tendency to escape (and poop on my floor). It’s hot here in SoCal and warm at night so we built a coop for our chicks. We used a kit for the coop and used wood and chicken wire to box them in giving them plenty of room to roam. They’ve beet outside with us exploring while the coop was being built. We wanted to give them a chance to get comfortable with their new surroundings. The first night officially moved, I put them inside on their perch. Their food and water was outside though they still had access. The next morning, they were inside the nesting boxes where we have the bedding they are used to. We put them outside and they drank as if they hadn’t seen water all night. Last night, I put them in their coop to perch and I put the food on one side and water on the other. This morning, two were outside and the rest were near the water. I put the remaining chicks outside with the food and water. The outside chicks went to the water as if they hadn’t seen it. The inside chicks went to the food and gobbled it down.

What do I do with these chicks? It’s as if they can’t/won’t move around at night. Should I just leave them outside their coop with food and water with access to the inside of their coop?

Please help!

 

[cavemanrich]

First,,,,,,,,,,,,, Chicks and chickens do not move around at night or when it is dark.. Your chicks are young, so give them a chance to accustom themselves to their surroundings.
You also did mention You are in So Cal. (hot) Your coop is a BEAUTIFUL structure. To me,,,,,,,,,,,, it looks like it could use much more ventilation, as well as some windows to allow natural light into the interior. All this can be done as a modification to what you already have..
Consider the windows as an enhanced item that chickens would benefit from at roosting time. Most chickens do not like to enter much darker areas, unless searching for a place to lay egg. (they like privacy)
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and

 

[KristyB]

First,,,,,,,,,,,,, Chicks and chickens do not move around at night or when it is dark.. Your chicks are young, so give them a chance to accustom themselves to their surroundings.
You also did mention You are in So Cal. (hot) Your coop is a BEAUTIFUL structure. To me,,,,,,,,,,,, it looks like it could use much more ventilation, as well as some windows to allow natural light into the interior. All this can be done as a modification to what you already have..
Consider the windows as an enhanced item that chickens would benefit from at roosting time. Most chickens do not like to enter much darker areas, unless searching for a place to lay egg. (they like privacy)
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and

First,,,,,,,,,,,,, Chicks and chickens do not move around at night or when it is dark.. Your chicks are young, so give them a chance to accustom themselves to their surroundings.
You also did mention You are in So Cal. (hot) Your coop is a BEAUTIFUL structure. To me,,,,,,,,,,,, it looks like it could use much more ventilation, as well as some windows to allow natural light into the interior. All this can be done as a modification to what you already have..
Consider the windows as an enhanced item that chickens would benefit from at roosting time. Most chickens do not like to enter much darker areas, unless searching for a place to lay egg. (they like privacy)
WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and

Thank you!

There are windows that I’ll make sure are open. The back comes off so maybe I’ll leave it off during the day. I just have to be careful because it gets quite windy here.

 

[rosemarythyme]

It’s as if they can’t/won’t move around at night.

Chickens can't see well in the dark, so yes, they do stop moving around once it gets dark enough.

In a hot climate a coop without enough ventilation can be like an oven, plus the lack of light makes the coop uninviting. In So Cal you can probably get away with an open air coop (more wire mesh than solid wall, maybe only one side solid at that) with buffers to block wind as needed. So don't be afraid to cut generous windows - I'd open up the triangle at the top there and down a couple inches and continue it most of the way around the other sides, depending on wind directions. Cover the openings with welded wire or hardware cloth, no larger than 1/2" wide, for safety, and use screws and washers or extra trim wood to hold it in place.

Also these chicks are still young and the coop is something new (and scary) to them. Expect them to not understand how a roost works and plan on putting them to bed for a few days or even weeks. You should block off nest box access if they're trying to sleep there instead of the roost, and roost bars should be higher than nest box to encourage them to want to use it. If I'm looking at the photo right, your roost bars are only inches off the floor, so if they can be moved, that might help.

 

[KristyB]

Chickens can't see well in the dark, so yes, they do stop moving around once it gets dark enough.

In a hot climate a coop without enough ventilation can be like an oven, plus the lack of light makes the coop uninviting. In So Cal you can probably get away with an open air coop (more wire mesh than solid wall, maybe only one side solid at that) with buffers to block wind as needed. So don't be afraid to cut generous windows - I'd open up the triangle at the top there and down a couple inches and continue it most of the way around the other sides, depending on wind directions. Cover the openings with welded wire or hardware cloth, no larger than 1/2" wide, for safety, and use screws and washers or extra trim wood to hold it in place.

Also these chicks are still young and the coop is something new (and scary) to them. Expect them to not understand how a roost works and plan on putting them to bed for a few days or even weeks. You should block off nest box access if they're trying to sleep there instead of the roost, and roost bars should be higher than nest box to encourage them to want to use it. If I'm looking at the photo right, your roost bars are only inches off the floor, so if they can be moved, that might help.

They will stand on the bottom of the roost instead of on the roost bars. We physically have to put them on the bars at night. On non windy days, I’ll take the back off. And, I’ll give my husband your suggestions. If he can make the changes, I’m sure he will. Here’s what it looks like from the back side with the back off.

Thank you for your suggestions!

 

[aart]

Taking the back off will give more air, but in full sun like shown it's not going to keep it cooler. They need some serious shade in your climate.
How many birds do you have?
Also your ramp is too steep with not enough cleats.
I'd add 1 or 2 cleats between each existing cleat,
and put a concrete block, or something about 16" high, under the low end of ramp.

 

[KristyB]

Taking the back off will give more air, but in full sun like shown it's not going to keep it cooler. They need some serious shade in your climate.
How many birds do you have?
Also your ramp is too steep with not enough cleats.
I'd add 1 or 2 cleats between each existing cleat,
and put a concrete block, or something about 16" high, under the low end of ramp.

I have 8 chicks. There’s a ton of shade in that area for most of the day which is why we picked that area of the yard. It’s just early on (while it’s starting to heat up) that there’s not as much shade. I will have my husband add cleats and a block.

Thank you!

 

[Ridgerunner]

My brooder-raised chicks tend to start sleeping on the roosts at night at around 10 to 12 weeks old. I've had some start earlier, like 5 weeks, and some start later, but 10 to 12 is a good average. They will play on the roosts during the day but at night they tend to sleep in a group down low. Your set-up is quite a bit different from mine, that may affect timing.

I've had broody hens take their chicks to the roosts at night as early as 2 weeks though 4 to 6 weeks is more normal for them. Physically your chicks can sleep on the roosts, the question is whether they wish to.

Your roosts look really low. They appear higher than the bottom of the nests but not by much. Chickens generally like to sleep at the highest point available once they start roosting. Until then mine tend to sleep in the lowest spot available. If yours sleep in the nests when they should be roosting, you may consider raising the roosts.

 

[KristyB]

My brooder-raised chicks tend to start sleeping on the roosts at night at around 10 to 12 weeks old. I've had some start earlier, like 5 weeks, and some start later, but 10 to 12 is a good average. They will play on the roosts during the day but at night they tend to sleep in a group down low. Your set-up is quite a bit different from mine, that may affect timing.

I've had broody hens take their chicks to the roosts at night as early as 2 weeks though 4 to 6 weeks is more normal for them. Physically your chicks can sleep on the roosts, the question is whether they wish to.

Your roosts look really low. They appear higher than the bottom of the nests but not by much. Chickens generally like to sleep at the highest point available once they start roosting. Until then mine tend to sleep in the lowest spot available. If yours sleep in the nests when they should be roosting, you may consider raising the roosts.

Since I don’t have any broody hens, should I just leave my chicks out? I’m physically putting them on the roosts at night. Once they are on, they sleep. I’ll check on them before I go to bed and they are still sleeping. I was out there 6:30ish this morning. 6 were happily chirping in the grass. Two were inside the nesting boxes.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Some, maybe most, broody hens train their chicks to sleep on the roosts at a relatively early age, usually 4 to 6 weeks from what I've seen. There is nothing wrong with you training them to sleep on the roosts, doing what you have been doing. Hopefully they will soon get in the habit of going to the roosts on their own so you don't have to put them there.