do most chickens understand that the ramp leads to the coop?

[Kuntry Klucker]

I have a rooster, hens are coming. He does not use the ladder to go into the coop. In fact he would rather roost
under a tree then in the coop. Which I am going to have to relocate him there when we are finished with the
fencing around the coop. Once he is pinned inside the chicken run where access to the coop is via the ladder to
the opening of the coop will he know how to use it? Will the hens that we get know to go up the ladder to get
to the roosts and laying baskets thus teaching him. Or is our rooster that stupid.

I am a fist time chicken owner sorry for the stupid questions.

Also, once we get the hens will he have more interest in the coops than he does now?

 

[Baymen Moe]

First off, there are no stupid questions here. Your rooster and future hens will roost eventually if they don't when young. When my chicks were young they would pile in a corner of the coop for the night. All it took was a few evenings of going out to the coop and picking each one up and putting them on the roost. It only took my chicks 2 nights to learn where to roost.

Good luck!

 

[elmo]

It's not stupid for a chicken not to understand on sight what devices we build for them are meant to do. Birds roost in trees naturally and that's been the habit of this rooster, so changing that habit will be a big thing. Chickens love routine and hate change. You'll probably need to teach your birds to roost in the coop. What I've read other people do is physically put the birds in the coop through the pop door for a few nights, see if they get the idea, and continue teaching them if they don't.

 

[brendapa]

Yep, he knows the ramp goes up to the coop but he does not know he's supposed to go up the ramp into the coop.
It sounds as if he doesn't know the coop is his.

You need to lock him up, in the coop for 1-2 weeks. Give him plenty of food and water but he needs to learn that is his coop.
After a week, when you 1st let him out into the run, do it 1 hour before dusk. You need to be there to coax him , with a net or whatever to go up the ramp, into the coop.
The next day 2 hours before dusk. See if he is getting it.
Training should only take a few days. Then graduate to free ranging.

When you get the hens, you'll have to do it again but it will be easier because he will help you to teach them.

Good luck.

Brenda

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

wow! thanks for the great advice. being in the summer and 90+ degrees here, would he be okay in the coop or would it get to
hot? also, since he is used to free ranging, will he pitch a fit having to be locked up in the coop for a while. Will I have a mad hornet
when I let him out after a time of being in there?

If so, what advice can you give.

 

[brendapa]

90+ degrees and humid does put a different spin on things.....

But, you need to catch him, every night and put him in his coop or he will never understand what you want from him.
Chickens are creatures of habit. If he is allowed to sleep under a tree or in a tree, he will. And he will eventually be eaten.

If he does not get it within 2 weeks, you are going to have to lock him in there. We are having the most glorious cool front in PA. I slept with a blanket on last night.
Do you get them in TN.? If you are going to have a stretch of cool weather, try to time it and take advantage of "training" during that period.
Chickens don't get mad, but they remember what the"routine" is.

Can you cage him, inside the coop but leave the doors open for ventilation and maybe run a fan for him?

All of mine go up, into their own coop or pen, when I say UP UP UP. They were trained with a butterfly net. It does not matter if it is 11 AM, 3PM or 5PM, morning, day or dusk.
It was done for safety purposes, predators.
They absolutely go in at dusk, by themselves. If I could only get them to latch the doors

.
My 3 month old chicks go in at night, at dusk. We are working on the UP UP UP daytime thing.
My 2 month olds, we are working on what a ramp is. It does take time. From 8-8:30 every night.

Get 2 long handeled butterfly nets, dollar store, to start. Use them to "herd" up the ramp. But he has to know to come down the ramp 1st. And then be placed on the ramp, to walk up it, at dusk.

Good luck!


Good luck.