Chicks don't go in coop at night by themselves

[junior67]

My chicks are 7 weeks old. I moved them into the coop last Thurs. for the 4-5 days before that I would bring them out for a few hours to explore then run and then back into the brooder at night. Last Thurs I kept them in the coop overnight for the first time. We had to catch them and put them in the coop (didn't have a ramp yet). We built the ramp on Friday and they quickly learned how to use it. Friday we were going away for the weekend (close enough that I could still come home let let them out) so we put them in early so had to catch them and put them in. Sat I was only home for a couple hours so let them out to run around and had to catch them to put them in. Sun we waited till around dusk and they didn't go in but they were all over us and starting to huddle so I could tell they were ready. I tapped on the ramp and said "come on girls" to get them to come up the ramp (also tried to put some meal worms on the ramp but they ate the lower ones and then left. haahaa) a couple came up so I gave a gentle push to get them to go all the way in and some we had to put in as they wouldn't go up the ramp. Mon I had one that lost a toe that we had to care for about an hour before dusk so once she was set we put them in.... (think that was mon) . I have been trying to wait till dusk to put them in but they haven't gone up on their own yet and I don't want to have to be out when it is dark to put them in. A couple times when I tap the ramp and say come on girls most will come up and go in other times they don't. Friday night and tonight they were all huddled in a corner crying getting ready to go to sleep (it was colder) in the run instead of going in the coop. Sat was rainy and a lot colder so I left them in the coop for the day.

We are going away June 10-13th. I have someone coming to check on them a few times a day but we were going to have the auto door set up (on a timer) will they figure out how to put themselves into the coop by then? Am I doing something wrong with teaching them since it has been over a week that they have been out there. I just don't want anyone locked out and I am not sure what time the person checking on them will be able to come at night to check on them so want to be sure they have it figured out by then.

 

[CluckerFamily]

I keep the flock in the coop for a week or two to make sure they know where home is and where to sleep before allowing them out into the run.
Another option would be to sprinkle a little of their favorite treat in the coop about an hour before bedtime. They will go into the coop to eat the treat and while they are all inside, you can shut the coop up.

 

[azygous]

You are doing nothing wrong. It sometimes takes chicks a few weeks to learn to go into the coop on their own. Some learn in just a few days.

And some chicks that learn in just a few days can regress and not want to go inside at all. This is what happened to my eight-week old chicks. They learned very quickly to go into the coop at night by the time they were six weeks old. Then their nanny hen died overnight and it frightened them badly.

Ever since, they have regressed and I need to get into the coop and coax them inside. Early on, I trained them to come when they hear my clicker. They still do. So I signal them inside and have a little dish of feed for them to top off their crops. I close them up since they would quickly leave the coop again if I didn't. It's been a couple weeks now and they still show no signs of being willing to go in on their own. Patience is the key. Don't give up.

I suggest setting them up in the coop over the period you will be gone. Expecting the sitter to have to round them up each night if they do not go in is just too much to expect. And you will have peace of mind knowing your chicks are safe. You can resume teaching them once you return.

 

[muddy75]

I would gather all mine up at night and put them in and lock the coop until they learned.....some learn within a few days and others can be difficult. I’ve also used a wire fence (doggie playpen) in front of coop door as a smaller area for younger chicks to learn.
This batch (2 week old Cornish X) I put in with my bunnies. I put them in the coop late afternoon with food and water and by the next day they had found their way in and out of the coop!!!!