Coop at night

[Nuts4FluffyButtsi]

Help me out.My Pullets are outside and absolutely love it. But at night when I have to wrangle them back in the coop it’s quite the work out. My run seems fairly safe and the coop is definitely safe so level with me, do I really need to wrangle them back in the coop or can I just let the coop be open and let them go by themselves

 

[Mamatomany123]

I guess you dont have to but they may never sleep in the coop then. New chicks will have to be put into the coop every night for a few weeks sometimes before they figure out to do it on their own.

Reread and fairly safe run woud not be safe enough for me to leave them out. Night time is a long time and a determined predator will find any opening or weak spot.

 

[Brooks_]

Help me out.My Pullets are outside and absolutely love it. But at night when I have to wrangle them back in the coop it’s quite the work out. My run seems fairly safe and the coop is definitely safe so level with me, do I really need to wrangle them back in the coop or can I just let the coop be open and let them go by themselves

Depends on how safe you really feel the run is.

 

[Ryguy3684]

X2.
I've had chicks get the hang of it after 1 or 2 nights and I've had them take two weeks. Depending on where you live, it would be best to have them go into the coop when it gets really cold.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I don't give mine a choice, they go in the coop at night and get locked in.

Is the coop elevated and if so, are they having any issue using the ramp (if there's one)? Is the coop naturally lit inside or artificially lit at sunset, with good ventilation? If it's not appealing to them they will not want to go in.

 

[Brooks_]

I don't give mine a choice, they go in the coop at night and get locked in.

Mean mom. JK

 

[rosemarythyme]

Mean mom. JK

If it keeps them safe, I'll be mean.

 

[Brooks_]

If it keeps them safe, I'll be mean.

Yeah, mine are being a little stubborn tonight, but it's staying a little light later. They'll go in and be secured.

 

[Sally PB]

When I moved mine outside into the coop, I shut them in there for about a week. I took in food and water, but they didn't go outside. They always put themselves to bed at dusk. To them, that's where they sleep.

 

[3KillerBs]

When my ladies were young this summer I found that the times I had trouble getting them inside was when I was trying to put them in on my schedule before they considered it dark enough.

When I waited longer I found them heading in of their own accord.

There was only one exception, a single night when the Brahmas, who were 2 weeks older, seemed to want to stay up late then got caught by the darkness. I had been sitting in the coop "chillin' with my peeps" and being amused that the teens were staying up late when I realized that the noises they were making had changed to genuine distress. I had to pick them up off the concrete block they'd "roosted" on and put them inside with the others.

Other than that, they went in on their own when it was dark enough.