Chicks will not return to coop at dusk among a few other "issues"

[WalkingOnSunshine]

The picture is of the coop when it was delivered....It does have a ramp.

Usually the way you get birds to understand that a coop is "home" is to lock them in for 5-7 days. How big is this coop? This does not look like anywhere near enough space for eight birds.

 

[Duke6017]

How old are your chicks? You say they're too short to reach it...have you tried lowering it so they can? I use the horizontal water nipples and was literally dreading trying to get them converted over for fear "my ladies aren't drinking!" But I was determined mainly because the thought of continuing with daily clean-outs and refills of the old-style waterer was gettin' OLD....really OLD.

So one day I said "this is it girls, you either use 'em or else" .... I REMOVED ALL OTHER WATERERS....all of them. I sat in the coop "clicking" the little stainless steel thingie (for what seemed like forever!), and finally one of them, out of curiosity more than anything else, came over to see what all that "clicking" was about. She put her little beak to it and voila! THE REST IS HISTORY! They all got curious and that was the end of the messy old-fashioned waterers.

Be persistent!! Never give up!!

I have 7 birds (my first flock) of the 7, one is a 2 year old hen and the other 6 are pullet's probably between 8-10 weeks old. The hen can reach the nipples, but I dont think she is using them much either because there is jug waterers in the run for the chicks. Lowering the nipples would be the smart thing to do! But my coop design doesnt really allow for it (rookie mistake). I will just deal with the mess until they are old enough to reach where I have them installed now. I just hope they figure it out and dont get too thirsty.

 

[yiayiacheryl]

The coop is big enough for 10 birds....So I am going to be away for a couple nights...you really think I should leave them locked in the coop?

 

[WalkingOnSunshine]

The coop is big enough for 10 birds....So I am going to be away for a couple nights...you really think I should leave them locked in the coop?

Please don't think I'm trying to be rude, but could you give me the coop dimensions? From the photo it looks like it might be 3' x 3' or so. I'd feel better if you could let me know it was more like 4' x 10'.

If it is indeed at least 40 square feet inside excluding nest boxes, then yes you can leave them locked in the coop for a couple of nights as long as you had someone come and check on them and make sure that they have food and haven't spilled their water or anything.

 

[nayeli]

I have ducks so somewhat different, but I will free range them during the day and feed them only once at night. They discovered real quick to go to bed... last night they had tucked themselves away and were waiting for food =)

Anyway we too had issues before. We had to chase them around the whole yard trying to catch them to put them in at night (and they would hide in thorny bushes).. so big improvement.

 

[Leahs Mom]

You have to remember that these are pretty young so they should have food available throughout the day still.

Honestly, they will respond to food. I usually go outside in the evening with some BOSS and call them in. Once they realize what I have they come in with no ado. In fact, at a certain point in the evening they will all come to the gate and look for me...kind of like an evening ritual. Now that's when I'm calling them in from range to the pen....but you can do the same idea by tossing some sunflower seed into the coop for them.

It really doesn't take a long time for them to figure out to go in on their own. Even without food. But I know you're in a hurry because of leaving for the weekend.

Is someone going to be taking care of them for you over the weekend?

 

[nayeli]

@Leahs Mom Yeah, I did that with adult ducks.

 

[StephC28]

 

[StephC28]

 

[StephC28]