Chicks not going into coop at night

EricaRay

Chirping
6 Years
Apr 2, 2013
8
1
50
Idaho
I had some chicks hatch in December (momma hid her little nest). We brought them inside since temps were -20 with wind chill most days at that time. I reintroduced them without any problems except one. They will not go into the chicken coop at night. They all huddle up in the same spot outside and I don't think it's quite warm enough for them to be sleeping outside since they are chittering. I've been putting them inside but I can't figure out why they won't go in unless the other birds are stopping them. Because I have other birds I can't exactly lock them in for a week. I did have them in a different coop inside the same run for a month but because of a small fire its off limits. They never went into that one either. Looking for any suggestions or will they just one day learn to follow the other birds?
 
I had some chicks hatch in December (momma hid her little nest). We brought them inside since temps were -20 with wind chill most days at that time. I reintroduced them without any problems except one. They will not go into the chicken coop at night. They all huddle up in the same spot outside and I don't think it's quite warm enough for them to be sleeping outside since they are chittering. I've been putting them inside but I can't figure out why they won't go in unless the other birds are stopping them. Because I have other birds I can't exactly lock them in for a week. I did have them in a different coop inside the same run for a month but because of a small fire its off limits. They never went into that one either. Looking for any suggestions or will they just one day learn to follow the other birds?

Might have to lock them in the coop. Keep them in a dog crate in the coop if the other chickens need to be let out. I had the same problem, just keep then in the coop for a few weeks so they know where their home is ;).
 
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Might have to lock them in the coop. Keep them in a dog crate in the coop if the other chickens need to be let out. I had the same problem, just keep then in the coop for a few weeks so they know where their home is ;).



I had some chicks hatch in December (momma hid her little nest). We brought them inside since temps were -20 with wind chill most days at that time. I reintroduced them without any problems except one. They will not go into the chicken coop at night. They all huddle up in the same spot outside and I don't think it's quite warm enough for them to be sleeping outside since they are chittering. I've been putting them inside but I can't figure out why they won't go in unless the other birds are stopping them. Because I have other birds I can't exactly lock them in for a week. I did have them in a different coop inside the same run for a month but because of a small fire its off limits. They never went into that one either. Looking for any suggestions or will they just one day learn to follow the other birds?


When we merged a younger flock with the older one we had to put the younger birds in the coop for a week or so until the decided it was home. Irecommend tring it a litte before the would normally roost so they are limited on their bedtime options. Good luck!
 
Thanks for the suggestions! I'll have to see if I can find something to fit in my coop without taking up too much space. I have a small, just for roosting coop. Also my BBB hen who sleeps on the floor and a rooster who for whatever reason has never wanted to roost sleeps with her. We put the chicks in earlier as the other birds were going in and they just walked right back out. There has to be something around here that would work.
 
I had the same problem for a few days with my younger birds. Even thought they were raised in the same coop! I had them separated from the rest of the flock inside of a large pen we built ourselves. When they were big enough to be introduced to the older flock, I figured they would automatically go into the coop at night. They did not. I found myself having to herd 16 young, stupid birds into the coop at night. The way I finally fixed the problem was to turn on a brooder lamp before it started to get dark. It worked like a charm. The couple of nights that I forgot to turn on the lamp, they were sitting outside again.
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Some chicks raised up under a brooding lamp will be scared to go inside a dark coop at first. You can do 2 things. 1) as suggested, lock them up inside for a week 2) place a light on a timer to come on at dusk then 2 hrs later go off. I had to make a night light for my youngsters once before, just took one of those 99 cent yard light with solar panel and cut the wires to the panel and add more wiring to make it longer. Then place the light end inside the coop and the solar panel past on the roof of my coop. Works like a charm. Just be sure not to get one that's to bright.
 

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