Chicks won't go in house

[Loudawg11]

Hi there! My pullets are 8 weeks old and looking great! Their coop is finished now and there amazon bought coop house is looking quite good in the enclosed run. I have been putting my pullets in at night since they were 6 weeks old and were moved outside permanently. I want to eventually be able to just go out at 8:00 and find them all in their coop house and just slide the ramp door closed. But I have unfortunately run into an issue. My pullets, instead of going in themselves, will fly on to the roof of the coop house and begin to fall asleep 4 1/2 feet off the ground. I then have to pick up one pullet at a time and place the pullet inside the coop house. They've done this for 3 nights in a row and I'm starting to get worried they won't stop. Once I put them in their coop house they're fine but they won't go in on their own! I let them out every morning and they come flying out right over the ramp they're supposed to walk down and land in the run in a pile of feathers where they proceed to leap up and begin to nonchalantly peck at the hay. This is starting to get on my nerves so any advice on how to get them to go in their coop house by themselves is greatly appreciated! Below is a picture of my coop inside my run.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

New pullets often don't go where they are supposed to until you train them. That can take a week or two. Sorry.

However, if that photo is your birds and coop, I think the coop looks a bit small for the number of birds. Is it rated for 2 to 3 birds at most? That may be causing some issues. The run also looks a bit small.

The best thing to do to train them is to place them in their coop run for a few days until they get used to putting themselves to bed; however, I don't think you could do that with the coop size you have.

LofMc

 

[orrpeople]

Change is your chicken's arch enemy...unless it's their sudden, inspired change!! I have found, though, that after about 7 days of insisting on certain bedtime roosts, coops, etc., they do finally get the hint. But, like little kids, if you decide to let it slide for one night, you will probably have to double your time frame!! Don't give up, they will get it eventually!!

 

[perchie.girl]

you might hang a night light in there for a few nights. They tend to not want to go into dark places... when the sun starts setting it will be lighter outside than inside.

But there is another thing you need to consider how many pullets do you have. You need at least four square feet of coop space per bird.

My birds were all large fowl and they preferred to roost a good four to five feet off the ground. Landing spot for them would be four to five feet from the perch. Mind you that will change as they get heavier...

Have fun....

deb

 

[blackdog043]

I would put a tarp, over the whole top of the coop, for a few days or week. They shouldn't fly up on the tarp and they may go inside, it's worth a try anyway. When you take it off they may do it again or hopefully not!

 

[PD-Riverman]

I missed the Number of chicks---maybe I read it to fast, A small light that comes on a little before dark will draw them in. Let it burn for a couple hours. I do this all the time but a lot of times I am dealing with 100+/- chicks. The first night I "might" have to place them in the coop but usually after that they go in on their own. If you have to hang something(sheet/wire/tarp/etc) around the area they are use to roosting on so they do not fly up there. Also----I am not sure if your coop is vented GOOD, you might want to check the temp with a thermometer that will store the high/low reading from the looks of the pic---adding a few vents might be needed.

 

[Dad]

Guys I have chicks and they are starting to smell bad. Is it possible to give them a shower? Will they drown? They are about a week old.

Thanks in advance

 

[PD-Riverman]

Guys I have chicks and they are starting to smell bad. Is it possible to give them a shower? Will they drown? They are about a week old.

Thanks in advance

I never gave a chicken a shower or a bath. Is their bed/pen/etc clean----smell ok?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Guys I have chicks and they are starting to smell bad. Is it possible to give them a shower? Will they drown? They are about a week old.

Thanks in advance

Explain smell bad...do the birds themselves smell? Are they covered in poo? (Pasty butt?)

Or is the brooder smelling bad and it seems it is coming from the chicks.

Chicks should not smell bad in and of themselves (unless they just had a cecal movement, and some of it is on their feet, then they can smell bad for a little bit).

If your chicks are truly smelling bad, that means they are not healthy. Likely they need the brooder cleaned, more room, and better ventilation. It could also mean some different disease types with coryza coming to mind first (a bacterial infection). You don't want that type of stuff started, so if you believe you've actually got smelly chicks, look for swollen eyes, bubbles in the eyes, nasal discharge, diarrhea, for other evidence of disease...then post in the disease forum at: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures.10/

As to the bath...no chicks don't need baths unless they have really soiled with diarrhea or somehow have gotten into some horribly muddy condition. You could chill a chick very quickly by getting it fully wet.

LofMc

 

[oldhen2345]

I got some dirty chicks form a breeder and I put a dust bath in the brooder- just a rectangle plastic party tray from the dollar store. filled it with sand and peat moss and a liberal dose of DE- the chicks actually did dust bathe and I think it helped cleand them- they did a lot of preening after their bath.