Coop Training

[ellchr3]

Good day all! I'm curious on what's worked for you on training your pullets to go in the coop at night. I have 10 week old white leghorns and moved them to the coop/run just over 2 weeks ago. Since then I've gone out EVERY night just after dark and had to place every single one of them inside the coop. I have 3 that will occasionally go in, but the other 7 have never on their own. I've also purchased some solar lights, placed them in the coop, and have them on as it's getting dark to try and draw them in, but they still hunker down together in a corner of the run.

Any other suggestions on how to train the to move to the coop for bedtime would be great!

 

[Wereplatypus]

If it's one specific corner they like, I'd just block the corner and see if that works lol

 

[SwampPrincessChick]

My pullets learned where to roost by me putting them in their pen before dark, but not putting them on the roost. I would suggest removing the solar lights, as that might confuse the flock. Unusual lights will disorient chickens and cause them to roost in the wrong places, so I don't think the solar lights are doing any help.

 

[David61]

night light on the roost so they can see to go up. They don't know to move up sooner. Battery operated, photo cell on/off low light stair light by mr.beam is what i use not only this but so young birds can see to get down and find the nest box in dark mornings. No eggs on the poop board because they waited to long for the sun to come up.
https://www.amazon.com/Beams-Wireless-Battery-Friendly-Nightlight/dp/B07HL3YHQX

 

[Tahai]

did you lock them in the coop for several days before giving them access to the run? that's what has always worked for me.

 

[Ridgerunner]

How much light do you have outside? Do security lights or street lights keep it lit? The signal for them to go to bed is that it gets dark. How much natural light is there in the coop? They need to be able to see to go to bed, they can't see to move around if it is too dark. Some people have found that inside lights help but many of us have enough natural light from windows or ventilation that lights are unnecessary. It is possible that by the time they get the message it is time to go to bed inside the coop is already too dark. You mention that three sometimes go in on their own but it doesn't sound consistent.

I find that my brooder raised chicks usually don't start roosting until they are 10 to 12 weeks old. I've had a few start as early as 5 weeks but older is more normal for mine. Until mine start roosting they like to sleep in a group in a low spot. With my elevated coop that is usually on the ground under the pop door. With my ground level coop that is generally inside the coop but on the floor. I do keep mine locked in the coop section only for a week or so before I let them out to the run. With the elevated coop keeping them in for a week doesn't seem to matter, in my ground floor coop is does.

How I manage mine sounds like what you have been doing. Every night after dark I lock them in the coop section, just putting them on the coop floor. Sometimes they catch on pretty quickly. One time it only took one night and all 19 got the message. A couple of times it has taken three weeks for the last few to catch on. Usually a few start going in on their own within a couple of days and by a week they all catch on. Each group is different.

One thing that sounds different from mine is that once a chick starts going in they are consistent about it every night. It doesn't sound like yours are. It makes me wonder if there might be a light problem, say on a cloudy night versus a clear night?

 

[ellchr3]

My pullets learned where to roost by me putting them in their pen before dark, but not putting them on the roost. I would suggest removing the solar lights, as that might confuse the flock. Unusual lights will disorient chickens and cause them to roost in the wrong places, so I don't think the solar lights are doing any help.

Roosting is another thing all on it's own I have 3-4 that actually roost and have put them all on the roosting bars many times as well. Right now, I just want them to put themselves to bed. I wouldn't be so concerned about them sleeping in the run at night, but that just entices predators even more and they're more exposed to the elements.

 

[ellchr3]

How much light do you have outside? Do security lights or street lights keep it lit? The signal for them to go to bed is that it gets dark. How much natural light is there in the coop? They need to be able to see to go to bed, they can't see to move around if it is too dark. Some people have found that inside lights help but many of us have enough natural light from windows or ventilation that lights are unnecessary. It is possible that by the time they get the message it is time to go to bed inside the coop is already too dark. You mention that three sometimes go in on their own but it doesn't sound consistent.

I find that my brooder raised chicks usually don't start roosting until they are 10 to 12 weeks old. I've had a few start as early as 5 weeks but older is more normal for mine. Until mine start roosting they like to sleep in a group in a low spot. With my elevated coop that is usually on the ground under the pop door. With my ground level coop that is generally inside the coop but on the floor. I do keep mine locked in the coop section only for a week or so before I let them out to the run. With the elevated coop keeping them in for a week doesn't seem to matter, in my ground floor coop is does.

How I manage mine sounds like what you have been doing. Every night after dark I lock them in the coop section, just putting them on the coop floor. Sometimes they catch on pretty quickly. One time it only took one night and all 19 got the message. A couple of times it has taken three weeks for the last few to catch on. Usually a few start going in on their own within a couple of days and by a week they all catch on. Each group is different.

One thing that sounds different from mine is that once a chick starts going in they are consistent about it every night. It doesn't sound like yours are. It makes me wonder if there might be a light problem, say on a cloudy night versus a clear night?

We are far enough out that there isn't any light pollution. No street lights or anything. I have no extra lighting outside, but did add a couple of solar lights inside the coop as I read that the light inside would help draw them, but so far that's not working either. At first, we'd go out at dusk where it's still just light enough to see and put them in. After a week of that and having the 3 begin to go in on their own we waited a bit longer to see if the rest would follow the 3 that were going in.

My coop is also raise about 2 ft from the ground. Our yard is fairly shaded with lots of trees.

 

[ellchr3]

did you lock them in the coop for several days before giving them access to the run? that's what has always worked for me.

I didn't find any information stating that until almost a week later. Wonder if it'd be to late to try that?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I didn't find any information stating that until almost a week later. Wonder if it'd be to late to try that?

I don't see that it will hurt to try.