Chicks won’t go into the coop at night.

[Traffie Chickens]

We currently have 7 older hens and 4 new youngsters. The young ones are about 12ish weeks old, and are finally successfully integrated into the adult flock. But…. They will not go into the coop at night. I have watched all of them going to bed and it doesn’t seem like the older girls are not allowing the youngsters in. The Chicks aren’t even making an effort to go in. The nightly cycle is that when it gets dark, they lay down somewhere in the run. Then, I go out and put each one in the coop with the adults. This has been going on for about 2 weeks now. When will they learn to go in by themselves? Or will they ever? Am I doing things right? Or is there anything else I can do?
Thanks!

 

[Intuit]

Try trailing bits of treats to the coop. Right now my chicks are too young for the coop but I'm getting them used to me having treats and feeding them. Now when they see me they hoover by the door of their pen waiting to get their treats. So I'm hoping when they're ready for the run and coop I can coax them into the coop for the nights

 

[Traffie Chickens]

Try trailing bits of treats to the coop. Right now my chicks are too young for the coop but I'm getting them used to me having treats and feeding them. Now when they see me they hoover by the door of their pen waiting to get their treats. So I'm hoping when they're ready for the run and coop I can coax them into the coop for the nights

That’s a good idea, but my older hens would just eat them all before the young ones even get a chance.

 

[StinkyAcres]

Is your coop large and vented enough to lock them in the coop for a few days?

 

[Traffie Chickens]

Is your coop large and vented enough to lock them in the coop for a few days?

It is, but my nesting boxes are in there as well so where would my older hens lay eggs? And where would they sleep?

 

[Penpal]

They need to go into the coop before it is actually dark. So, while they are still running about, go to the run and turn on a light, could be a flashlight. Shoo them into the coop. Or, you could shake a bucket or bowl with food, whatever they would recognize, and get them to follow you into the coop. If the coop is too small for you to enter, then get them to follow the bowl. The adult chickens will probably follow you also. Take the flashlight, close the door.

 

[Ridgerunner]

How big is your coop? How is it laid out inside? Can they sleep somewhere away from the adults?

After you put them in, what happens in the morning? Is your pop door locked so they are stuck in there with the adults or can they run out as soon as it gets light? Are they chicks getting beat up in there or are they co-existing peacefully. When I do this I find the chicks up on the roost and the adults on the coop floor when I open the pop door. The chicks have found a way to safely avoid the adults.

I do the same thing you've been doing, usually with about 20 chicks but this is in my grow-out coop, no adults present. After it gets dark enough for them to go to sleep I toss them in the coop and lock the door. One time every one went in on their own after only one night. A couple of times it took three weeks tossing them in every night for the last few to put themselves in. Typically a few start going in after two or three days and they are all going in after a week or so but each brood is different.

Before I try moving them into my main coop where the adults are sleeping I generally let them roam with the adults for a month. I have a lot of room so they form a sub-flock, avoiding the adults. When it is time to move them in I wait until dark and toss them in the coop. It's big enough they can find places to sleep away from the adults. I lock up the grow-out coop so they cannot get back there. Usually I only have to do this once but occasionally it takes another time or two for the last to get the message.

I don't see anything wrong with what you are doing but I wonder if your problem is what is going on inside that coop when they wake up the next morning.

 

[Traffie Chickens]

How big is your coop? How is it laid out inside? Can they sleep somewhere away from the adults?

After you put them in, what happens in the morning? Is your pop door locked so they are stuck in there with the adults or can they run out as soon as it gets light? Are they chicks getting beat up in there or are they co-existing peacefully. When I do this I find the chicks up on the roost and the adults on the coop floor when I open the pop door. The chicks have found a way to safely avoid the adults.

I do the same thing you've been doing, usually with about 20 chicks but this is in my grow-out coop, no adults present. After it gets dark enough for them to go to sleep I toss them in the coop and lock the door. One time every one went in on their own after only one night. A couple of times it took three weeks tossing them in every night for the last few to put themselves in. Typically a few start going in after two or three days and they are all going in after a week or so but each brood is different.

Before I try moving them into my main coop where the adults are sleeping I generally let them roam with the adults for a month. I have a lot of room so they form a sub-flock, avoiding the adults. When it is time to move them in I wait until dark and toss them in the coop. It's big enough they can find places to sleep away from the adults. I lock up the grow-out coop so they cannot get back there. Usually I only have to do this once but occasionally it takes another time or two for the last to get the message.

I don't see anything wrong with what you are doing but I wonder if your problem is what is going on inside that coop when they wake up the next morning.

Thank you for sharing your experience! And to answer your questions, this is my coop setup.

It is large enough so that each group can sleep apart. The older girls always sleep on the far left side, and I always put the chicks on the far right side. Once they are in, there doesn’t seem to be any bullying going on, but I’m obviously not there 24-7 so I’m not sure. When it starts to get dark, I put everyone into our 8x16 run, that the coop is attached to. Below is a broken chicken run automatic door that is always left open, so in the morning the chicks can immediately run out into the run. Then when I wake up, I open up the run door and let everyone out into a bigger fenced area to free range.

 

[Ridgerunner]

All I can suggest is continue putting them in at night. I don't see any big issues.

 

[Traffie Chickens]

All I can suggest is continue putting them in at night. I don't see any big issues.

Ok thanks! I will continue doing so.