coop and night time.

[rpatt1969]

I'm new to chickens. I have 14 Buff orpingtons that are 6 weeks old and we're just moved out to the coop a week ago. My question is this my chickens are still needing to be brought in to the coop each night. I will find them huddled in the corner trying to get the last of the light, what am I doing wrong that they are not going in on their own? Any suggestions are welcome. I learn alot from this website and you guys all rock thanks in advance.

 

[Katfar]

I'm new to chickens. I have 14 Buff orpingtons that are 6 weeks old and we're just moved out to the coop a week ago. My question is this my chickens are still needing to be brought in to the coop each night. I will find them huddled in the corner trying to get the last of the light, what am I doing wrong that they are not going in on their own? Any suggestions are welcome. I learn alot from this website and you guys all rock thanks in advance.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I'm new to chickens. I have 14 Buff orpingtons that are 6 weeks old and we're just moved out to the coop a week ago. My question is this my chickens are still needing to be brought in to the coop each night. I will find them huddled in the corner trying to get the last of the light, what am I doing wrong that they are not going in on their own? Any suggestions are welcome. I learn alot from this website and you guys all rock thanks in advance.

How long have they been in the coop and not the brooder?

 

[Katfar]

Hopefully your coop has plenty of airflow and a window. Leave you chicks in the coop for several days. Hopefully when you then let them out in the run, they will go back in the chcken house about dusk. It worked for mine.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Is the coop well lit, either via windows or artificial lighting? Chickens can't see in the dark and don't want to go into a dark coop. Is there a ramp or steps leading into the coop that maybe the young birds are having problems using (i.e. have you confirmed they can use it)? Also when you first transitioned them to the coop, did you keep them locked in there for a few days or were they allowed out immediately?

 

[RWise]

Light, if there is not enuf light they will not want to go in, (stand at the door with neck stretched out looking in "oh my it's to dark in there" ) and may wait until it's a bit dark outside before they do want to go in.
Ventilation, if it is to hot, or has ammonia in the coop they will not want to go in.
I keep lights in all my coops, when the new chicks go out, I will turn the lights on near dusk, until they go in and settle. The lighting must light it up well enuf for them to see.
I also find it helps to have older birds that already go to the roost. The chicks will let the hens go to roost then find their spot.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

A night light for a little while will help, make them feel more comfortable. When they're used to going in on their own, then you can shut it off.

 

[trista85]

I had to put mine into the coop each night for about a week until they figured it out. Chickens are creatures of habit, and once established they're pretty consistent

 

[GC-Raptor]

I kept the 5 week olds in the coop a few days before letting them out. .
I had the same problem when I let them out to the pen. By the time the last of them decided to go into the coop after sunset, the coop was dark. A nitelight fixed the problem.
I shut off the nitelight when I lockup the coop 20 minutes after sunset.
I used to leave the nitelight on all night, but I witnessed pecking from the pullets as they got older a couple of nights. So nitelight's off after everyone's on the roost. GC

 

[alexa009]

Yes, a light definitely would work! During chick stage, my chicks always would start doing a worried kind of chirp when sunset started going down. Putting them in the coop every night doesn't work either. I did it with my chicks for 4 months and it never worked.