Chicks won't go into coop

[coral bells]

Need some help! I got 6 new chicks in June. I had them in a separate small coop for 12 weeks, moved the small run/coop into my regular chicken run, which houses 2 older hens. When they got accustomed to each other, I started leaving the small coop door open so they could commingle. That went fine. The little chicks will not go in the big chicken coop at night. I've been feeding them treats in the big coop to make sure they knew how to go in and out and were comfortable. Which they seem to be. I closed the small coop so they couldn't go in at night but they just sit on top of it. I took the small coop out of the big run thinking they will look for a new place to roost and go in the coop. They didn't. They are just sitting on a small A frame thing I have in there for them to get some shade and sit/climb on during the day. Any suggestions as to how I get get them to go in the big coop. With winter around the corner, I'm starting to get concerned. Thanks.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

They were in the little coop for a long time. You will have to physically move them into the big one every night for a week or more until they get the hang of it.

 

[21hens-incharge]

They were in the little coop for a long time. You will have to physically move them into the big one every night for a week or more until they get the hang of it.

I agree 100%.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Also, how old are they? If you got them in June it sounds like they’re 4 months/ 17 weeks or so. They’re certainly old enough to roost with the older ones.

 

[coral bells]

Need some help! I got 6 new chicks in June. I had them in a separate small coop for 12 weeks, moved the small run/coop into my regular chicken run, which houses 2 older hens. When they got accustomed to each other, I started leaving the small coop door open so they could commingle. That went fine. The little chicks will not go in the big chicken coop at night. I've been feeding them treats in the big coop to make sure they knew how to go in and out and were comfortable. Which they seem to be. I closed the small coop so they couldn't go in at night but they just sit on top of it. I took the small coop out of the big run thinking they will look for a new place to roost and go in the coop. They didn't. They are just sitting on a small A frame thing I have in there for them to get some shade and sit/climb on during the day. Any suggestions as to how I get get them to go in the big coop. With winter around the corner, I'm starting to get concerned. Thanks.

Thank you everyone for your help. I put a light in the coop to come on at dusk for 2 hours. First night, I rounded them up and steered them towards the big coop and they all went in. I closed it so they couldn't come out until I let them out in morning. Second night they went in by themselves!! Hurray!!

 

[BonnieBlue]

I will be moving my chicks from the brooder in the garage, to a small coop and run that is located inside the big girls run, and then to the big girl coop. I am going for the letting the two older girls and the six littles get to know each other through the fencing before they all go into the big run and coop.

How long should I leave the littles in the brooder coop before locking them out to try to make them go with the big girls into their coop? They are two and a half weeks old now, and I plan on moving them to the little coop at four to five weeks of age, depending on weather.

I read an article on here about using that method to introduce chicks into existing flocks, and now cannot find the article. My apologies to whoever wrote it that I cannot remember. It was quite informative.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Could it have been one of these? (Forgive the shameless promotion here)

This is my article on Integrating:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-a-pictorial-guide.79343/

And here is another excellent article on integrating flocks:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-chickens-step-by-step.72815/

 

[rosemarythyme]

How long should I leave the littles in the brooder coop before locking them out to try to make them go with the big girls into their coop? They are two and a half weeks old now, and I plan on moving them to the little coop at four to five weeks of age, depending on weather.

I read an article on here about using that method to introduce chicks into existing flocks, and now cannot find the article. My apologies to whoever wrote it that I cannot remember. It was quite informative.

Quite a few articles about early integration:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

I wouldn't be locking the littles out of their brooder area until you're confident they can get along with the older birds in the common area without major issue. For me that means the littles are face to face with the adults at about 2 weeks old, and then the coop is the final step at about 5-6 weeks old (because they need to be off heat).

With your timeline you likely won't let the littles meet the adults face to face until maybe around 5-7 weeks because you need a couple weeks for see but no touch before they meet face to face, so the coop part might be around 8, 9 weeks.

 

[BonnieBlue]

Could it have been one of these? (Forgive the shameless promotion here)

This is my article on Integrating:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-a-pictorial-guide.79343/

And here is another excellent article on integrating flocks:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-chickens-step-by-step.72815/

That first one is it! Thank you!

I bookmarked it this time. (I thought I did last time, but had a blonde moment.)

 

[BonnieBlue]

Quite a few articles about early integration:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/integrating-new-birds-at-4-weeks-old.72603/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...and-start-raising-your-chicks-outdoors.71995/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/short-on-time-recycle-a-prefab-brooder.73985/

I wouldn't be locking the littles out of their brooder area until you're confident they can get along with the older birds in the common area without major issue. For me that means the littles are face to face with the adults at about 2 weeks old, and then the coop is the final step at about 5-6 weeks old (because they need to be off heat).

With your timeline you likely won't let the littles meet the adults face to face until maybe around 5-7 weeks because you need a couple weeks for see but no touch before they meet face to face, so the coop part might be around 8, 9 weeks.

Thanks!

My plan is see but no touch, starting around 3 to 4 weeks. I have to put a heat plate in the small coop with a thermometer to get some temperature readings first, to make sure they can receive adequate heat.