Chicks don't go in coop on their own and aren't sleeping on roosts

[marcid]

We moved out chicks outside last Tuesday (they are almost 9 weeks). It's been a week now and they still don't put themselves to bed at night. Around dusk or really even 30 minutes or more before dusk, they act like busy bodies. Panicky, clucky, seeming to be looking around for what to do. Eventually start sort of piling on each other. I've been putting them in the house each night but they don't seem any closer to "getting it".

Also I often find in the morning that some aren't sleeping on the roost but are either on the coop floor or nesting box. They had a small roost in their brooder I know several seemed to sleep on.

Any advice? We tried waiting later to put them up tonight and I also offered a treat but nobody walked in on their own.

Thanks. We have 2 buff orps and 2 Australorps.

 

[SIMZ]

As long as they can get in and out on their own normally, I think they'll get it eventually. Are you able to put a small light in there that comes on at dusk? Sometimes that helps them go in. All that is pretty normal for chicks that age, although I'd expect them to start putting themselves in at night pretty soon. Good luck!

 

[Farmer Viola]

if you go in the house, and close the doors around dusk, can you see? is it too dark inside the house for them to see the roosts? you might add more windows (look into the 2-liter bottle windows, way cool!) to catch some of the evening light so they can find their way inside at night. I also have had to put them on the roost at night to get them used to it, they usually catch on quickly.

 

[JessicaThistle]

My chicks went to the coop at 5 weeks of age. The first 3 nights I had to go out and put them on the ramp to the coop and nudge them up until they were all in. I said bed time over and over (I don't know if that made a difference but it felt right). Then I shut the pop door behind them.

On day 4 they went in on their own. They slept in a chick pile on the floor for a good week at least. Then they hopped up on the perch to roost and figured it out.

I would suggest going out there around 8 pm especially if they are forming their chick pile outside of the coop. Put them on the ramp and nudge them all inside. Do this until they get it. I think that if you just put them in then they think that is the way it works and may not understand to go up the ramp themselves.

All I know is this worked for me and I'm a newbie.

 

[3riverschick]

Do you have electricity to the coop? If so, put a light ( 40-60 watts ) in there and turn it one just before Dusk.
Birds like to go towards light, given a choice. Mine troop right up into the lighted coop. If not
elect. , try a battery operated light. Just keep it on till they put themselves to bed. I also have a
solar light which shines in the window. Not enough light to tell them to go to bed, but enough
they can see each other at night if they hear a scary sound.
Best,
Karen in western PA, USA

 

[JessicaThistle]

Oh yes, I forgot about the light. I used the heat lamp in the coop for them the first 2 weeks because they were so small and it was still quite cold at night.

We have since removed that and replaced it will a solar LED rope light that is very dim. It just lets them see each other and the roost. Of course now they go in and 8:00 on the dot before the light even comes on.

 

[marcid]

Thank you all for your answers. No light but I have a battery powered lantern I could try. Also great point about nudging versus putting them in. I have just been putting them in.

It's raining today and although our run is covered it's still wet in there and the chickens appear to have no clue they could go in the coop. They don't seem unhappy but I see how they need the skill to go in there unassisted!

 

[marcid]

Tonight I went to the side of their coop and put a little battery powered light in there. I waited and said "here girls!" And miracle of miracles, three of them walked on up! Yay! The fourth needed a little nudge but I was so proud!

I went out twenty minutes later to turn the light off and they were all piled in the nesting boxes. Sigh....one skill at a time! Ha ha.

Thanks so much for the light suggestion!

 

[flickerloo]

Mine are almost 9 weeks old and they still sleep in a little pile. They can find the perches and there are no nest boxes in their coop....it's just a grow-out coop. In the morning, they are on the perches, so I'm not sure if they eventually go to roost after I lock them up or if they roost in the morning when they wake up. It's early yet. I'm not worried about it

 

[JessicaThistle]

Tonight I went to the side of their coop and put a little battery powered light in there. I waited and said "here girls!" And miracle of miracles, three of them walked on up! Yay! The fourth needed a little nudge but I was so proud!

I went out twenty minutes later to turn the light off and they were all piled in the nesting boxes. Sigh....one skill at a time! Ha ha.

Thanks so much for the light suggestion!

Woohoo.

Now you may want to block off the nesting boxes so they don't make the habit of sleeping in them. They may sleep next to them but eventually they will get up on the perches to roost.