Your husband has the right idea. Put them in, close the door, walk away. They'll adjust.
My husband put a board up across the top of the brooder box last night, so they could roost.
(I clean everything chicken-related anyway, but that was especially messy!)
I also added the soft-light battery lights the prior poster recommended. So even if they think they’re coming inside, & don’t think they need to find a roost out in the coop… there will be a very soft light for them to be able to see, when they realize they aren’t coming inside tonight.My husband put a board up across the top of the brooder box last night, so they could roost.
All but one of 11 did roost on that board all night. The other roosted on the edge of the brooder box. (Way thinner than the 1x4 board)
Then he let me clean that poopy mess up today.
He’s right… and you’re right. That is not a sustainable arrangement at their age & poop tonnage!
Tonight will be their first night in the coop.
Just to make myself feel better, and to not feel so bad for them… I did add an extra, lower roost with vices (because it’s temporary), that I know for a fact they can all jump to… it will also enable them to roost higher, if they want, even the ones that aren’t great at flying yet.
They’re all 6 weeks old tomorrow.
I also closed the windows in the coop, so they can feel more insulated & safe. Here in Florida, we do have quite a few things that go bump in the night. Tonight will be their first experience of that.
Thanks to everyone for your feedback!
I always shut my juvenile birds in coop for a week or two to help then learn coop is a SAFE place. Lights do help them see into coop at dusk. I know it's exasperating at first but they do get the hang of it.Thank you for this! I’m having the same issue. Our chicks are 6 weeks old on Monday & my husband wants them out of the house, asap!
They’re totally fine during the day. But as soon as it gets dark, they huddle in the run, closest to the house. They don’t know to roost yet. They just beg to be taken inside as soon as it gets dark. It breaks my heart!
And I also worry about it attracting predators.
We’re working with them during the day to get them to know they can fly up to the roosts. And we’re doing a couple things to make it easier for them. They’re physically able. They just don’t know to do it yet, at night. They just rely on us taking them inside every night.
As soon as I put the cage down at the coop door & open the cage door, they eagerly pile in. They know they’re going someplace that feels safe to them.
I’m not sure how to make them feel comfortable in the coop at night… and my husband is all about tough love… just letting them cry it out. I really don’t want to do it that way, but I’m seeing it might need to be for them to overcome the fear.
They have been doing exceedingly well at roosting! Better than I expected. Last night was their third night. At dusk time all started peeping & trying to find a spot on the roosts.
That's awesome to hear! They do need to be taught stuff just like when they learned to drink water first time. I'm so glad for youThey have been doing exceedingly well at roosting! Better than I expected. Last night was their third night. At dusk time all started peeping & trying to find a spot on the roosts.
Some even flew to the highest roosts, in the rafters. Others I placed up there because they were causing issues for the chicks that were on the lower roosts.
So awesome!! I’m so thankful!
Totally! I just taught two of them where the water was, and the rest just started drinking, copying the two I taught. It took about 20 minutes for them all to be drinking.
Ha ha it goes by so fast. You feel like they're never going to get the hang of it then boom that stage is done. The 1st time around is so awkward and scary I asked these members the dumbest questions and have learned a bunch from the all in 3 yearsTotally! I just taught two of them where the water was, and the rest just started drinking, copying the two I taught. It took about 20 minutes for them all to be drinking.
Although, all were still struggling… trying not to get water up their nose when they dipped their beak in.
Mostly, when they were really tiny, they liked standing in the dish, so they knew exactly how deep it was, so they didn’t get water up their nostrils.
Awe… what a time. A whole 6 weeks ago!
