Coop themselves??

[Thancock760]

Just put the girls in their run and coop the last couple days. The last two nights I manually put them in the coop from their run. Should I try and let them coop themselves for a few nights? The run has been thoroughly reinforced, predators should not be an issue if they don’t coop themselves. Food and water was moved to coop. Added some cute pics for fun.

 

[cherrynberry]

Just put the girls in their run and coop the last couple days. The last two nights I manually put them in the coop from their run. Should I try and let them coop themselves for a few nights? The run has been thoroughly reinforced, predators should not be an issue if they don’t coop themselves. Food and water was moved to coop. Added some cute pics for fun.

Do you have an anti dig apron as well? I usually continue to move them until they get the hang of it.

 

[Sally PB]

I've had two batches of chickens and to "home" them to the coop, I had them shut in the coop only for 5-7 days. Both groups learned that that was where they sleep. Being creatures of habit, they went in by themselves at dusk when I started letting them out in the morning.

This means you have to have good ventilation in your coop...

 

[Thancock760]

Do you have an anti dig apron as well? I usually continue to move them until they get the hang of it.

Yes, apron added

 

[Thancock760]

I've had two batches of chickens and to "home" them to the coop, I had them shut in the coop only for 5-7 days. Both groups learned that that was where they sleep. Being creatures of habit, they went in by themselves at dusk when I started letting them out in the morning.

This means you have to have good ventilation in your coop...

This is where I worry- it is 90 during the day, I am not sure the one large vent that has hardware mesh is sufficient

 

[cherrynberry]

I've had two batches of chickens and to "home" them to the coop, I had them shut in the coop only for 5-7 days. Both groups learned that that was where they sleep. Being creatures of habit, they went in by themselves at dusk when I started letting them out in the morning.

This means you have to have good ventilation in your coop...

Thats a good point too, I used to lock chicks in...but I have been letting a broody raise chicks for these few months.

 

[Sally PB]

This is where I worry- it is 90 during the day, I am not sure the one large vent that has hardware mesh is sufficient

Yeah, even with good ventilation, most any coop will get pretty hot when it's 90. (Because 90 is pretty hot!) Where are you located?

 

[NatJ]

The last two nights I manually put them in the coop from their run. Should I try and let them coop themselves for a few nights? The run has been thoroughly reinforced, predators should not be an issue if they don’t coop themselves.

If you consider it important for them to sleep in the coop, keep putting them in at night for at least the first week, unless they put themselves in before you get out there.

If you are curious what they do, and not worried about them sleeping out in the run, then you certainly can watch to see. As long as the run is safe, sleeping in it won't do them any real harm (although they may form the habit of sleeping in the run instead of the coop.)

 

[MadamContrary]

Just keep putting them up until they do it on thier own, it shouldn't take too much longer than a week. Going out early and leading them up with treats and putting a little light in the coop for a few days will help speed the process. It's too hot to coop them in right now in 90% of climates. It is a little effort, but it's not forever. If you don't you risk them making a snuggle pile in the corner of the run and making a habit of that, I can't tell if you have hardest cloth on the lower portion of the run or not, and if not obviously things can grab, nibble, or paw at them.

 

[Thancock760]

Yeah, even with good ventilation, most any coop will get pretty hot when it's 90. (Because 90 is pretty hot!) Where are you located?

Atoka TN