Do chickens need food outside?

[ChickenDude12345]

Yeah

Chickens have a natural tendency to seek shelter at night. If they've been spending their nights in the coop already, they're most likely going to find their way to and INTO the coop as dusk approaches.

As for food and water, we don't put them inside the coop with one exception: new chicks that are old enough to be out of the brooder, but still not wise enough to eat and drink what they want/need for overnight. After a couple of weeks watching the adults eat and drink at the feed/water stations on the way in, they learn to do the same.

Worse, you invite things into the coop that you'd rather NEVER have in the coop...

Yeah, mine are only a little over 4 weeks and are not very wise or bright I will see what they do in the next hour or so. If they don’t go in at dark should I wait till they bed down to bring them in?

 

[3KillerBs]

Yeah

Yeah, mine are only a little over 4 weeks and are not very wise or bright I will see what they do in the next hour or so. If they don’t go in at dark should I wait till they bed down to bring them in?

You can try to gently herd them into the coop as it gets to be dusk or you can wait for them to settle and then pick them up and put them in.

I like to sit in my chicken run with a book on my phone's Kindle ap as night falls. It's peaceful out there.

 

[ChickenDude12345]

You can try to gently herd them into the coop as it gets to be dusk or you can wait for them to settle and then pick them up and put them in.

I like to sit in my chicken run with a book on my phone's Kindle ap as night falls. It's peaceful out there.

Problem with herding them in is they all run under the coop rather than up the ramp into it and They go anywhere but up into the coop. I think I’ll wait for them to bed down and then pick them up

 

[3KillerBs]

Problem with herding them in is they all run under the coop rather than up the ramp into it and They go anywhere but up into the coop. I think I’ll wait for them to bed down and then pick them up

That or block the under-coop area off until they've learned to go to bed in the coop instead of hiding underneath it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I think I’ll wait for them to bed down and then pick them up

That's what I do. As long as it gets dark it is usually pretty easy to catch them. Sometimes they get the message pretty quickly, sometimes it takes a while. As long as you are consistent in putting them in they will eventually get the message.

 

[ChickenDude12345]

That or block the under-coop area off until they've learned to go to bed in the coop instead of hiding underneath it.

A little update: I just went outside 10 minutes ago and they were huddled in the far corner from the ramp. I gently picked them up and put them inside. They all went to a corner and piled up and now are sleeping. If they do the same thing tomorrow should I just repeat and bring them in. They weren’t under the coop surprisingly

 

[ChickenDude12345]

That's what I do. As long as it gets dark it is usually pretty easy to catch them. Sometimes they get the message pretty quickly, sometimes it takes a while. As long as you are consistent in putting them in they will eventually get the message.

Alright. I just put them in about 20 minutes ago. They were all huddled up in the far corner away from the ramp and I brought them in and now they’re sleeping huddled together in the corner of the coop. I tried putting them on the roost but they just jump off and go back into a pile well they just teach themselves to roost. They are around 4 1/2 weeks old

 

[3KillerBs]

A little update: I just went outside 10 minutes ago and they were huddled in the far corner from the ramp. I gently picked them up and put them inside. They all went to a corner and piled up and now are sleeping. If they do the same thing tomorrow should I just repeat and bring them in. They weren’t under the coop surprisingly

Yes.

I just had to put my Splits into their coop. They had been going by themselves but they hit a "teenage" sleep-in-the-run stage and have been having to be put into the coop for a couple weeks. They'll grow out of it and start going to bed on their own again in a bit.

 

[3KillerBs]

Alright. I just put them in about 20 minutes ago. They were all huddled up in the far corner away from the ramp and I brought them in and now they’re sleeping huddled together in the corner of the coop. I tried putting them on the roost but they just jump off and go back into a pile well they just teach themselves to roost. They are around 4 1/2 weeks old

It can take months before they start roosting. They'll go up there eventually.

 

[ChickenDude12345]

Yes.

I just had to put my Splits into their coop. They had been going by themselves but they hit a "teenage" sleep-in-the-run stage and have been having to be put into the coop for a couple weeks. They'll grow out of it and start going to bed on their own again in a bit.

Awesome I hope it’s quick lol