Entering Coop at Night

[GaDawgChic]

How long does it take for chicks to learn to go into the coop on their own at night? We are first-time chicken owners so this is all new for us. My four girls are 6 weeks old. They were in the coop only for a little over a week before we finished securing the run. We finished the run 3 days ago and I have been going out at dusk each night to pick them up and put them in the coop for the night. I'm just wondering if I'm doing something wrong or if this is just a normal thing and will take them a bit of time to figure it out on their own. Their run is fully enclosed, but I am still super cautious about predators and don't want to leave the pop door (I think that is what the small door is called that they can go in and out of) open at night. Any advice or suggestions anyone could give are much appreciated!

 

[Poultrybonkers]

To train mine ive use the hose on mist before got them booties going real fast lol some of mine figured it out within days to

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I always have to put mine in at first. Next time you do it, try putting half of them in and waiting. Their calls back and forth usually encourage the ones left out to go in. Then the next night if they don't go in by themselves, try a few in again and see if that helps. You're doing everything right. Eventually they will figure it out

 

[GaDawgChic]

To train mine ive use the hose on mist before got them booties going real fast lol some of mine figured it out within days to

Oh my goodness that made me laugh! I may just try that little trick out if I have to keep this up too long! It's better than me trying to chase them down in a nice way without making them scared of me! Also, your profile picture is one beautiful chicken!

I always have to put mine in at first. Next time you do it, try putting half of them in and waiting. Their calls back and forth usually encourage the ones left out to go in. Then the next night if they don't go in by themselves, try a few in again and see if that helps. You're doing everything right. Eventually they will figure it out

I try getting 2 at a time but sometimes that doesn't work out for me! I had one in that was peeping pretty darn loud but the others kinda looked at her and were like "you're on your own there sister!" I bent down to get another one and all of a sudden the one I put in the coop ended up jumping on top of my head! I stood up and walked a few steps and she was not even thinking about getting down. She was as content as she could be right there on top of my head! Thank you for letting me know I am doing it right. I'm really trying to do things the best way. This is why I love this site so much! So much knowledge in one place!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Any photos of your set up?

Is there a ramp, steps, anything like that?

Do the chickens go in and out of the coop during the day?

How naturally well lit is the coop at sunset? How ventilated is it?

 

[aart]

Any photos of your set up?

Is there a ramp, steps, anything like that?

Do the chickens go in and out of the coop during the day?

How naturally well lit is the coop at sunset? How ventilated is it?

Great questions!

I use a small battery operated puck light in the coop to draw them in.

 

[ninafe]

Following- I’m having the EXACT same problem with our 6 week old chicks!

 

[ninafe]

I try getting 2 at a time but sometimes that doesn't work out for me! I had one in that was peeping pretty darn loud but the others kinda looked at her and were like "you're on your own there sister!"

Mine four chicks do the same thing! I try to put one in and she comes running out! Then another one goes in on her own and decides she still has things to do and comes right out. It’s quite a show trying to put them to bed.

What’s funny is during the day, my chicks would go in and out of the coop no problem at all! It’s actually been their daily routine to all go back inside after bfast for some lounging and napping. So it’s not like they don’t like they coop. I actually thought about just leaving the coop door open at night since everythjng is predator proof. But those little crazy chicks would stand at the end of the run screaming for me as soon as it gets dark as if they decide that they want to go to bed now. But when I go outside and try to shuffle them in they start running around refusing to go in…. It’s weird. Maybe it’s just a phase?!

 

[GaDawgChic]

Any photos of your set up?

Is there a ramp, steps, anything like that?

Do the chickens go in and out of the coop during the day?

How naturally well lit is the coop at sunset? How ventilated is it?

Thank you so much for replying with these questions! I'll answer them the best I can. I hope these can help you give me your opinion.

I'll attach a couple of photos of the setup. We still have a few touchup areas to paint and I need to put the apron down so no judging! Also, please ignore the neighbors fence that is leaning into our yard and has been that way for 6 years now.

There is a ramp and I actually told my husband this morning that I think I put the steps too far apart for them and need to add some in between. Going to try and do that today.

They do not go in and out of the coop during the day. They stay in the run all day.

The coop does not have a lot of light at sunset, but it's also not super dark in there either. While they were in the coop only for a week, they would start peeping kinda loud right before dusk and then go to sleep. It was like they were telling us it was time for them to go to bed. (We were out there working on the run and they did this every day.) Ventilation is good. There is a window on each wall and they are above the head level with the exception of 1 of them maybe being right at their head level if they are on the lower roosting bar.

 

[GaDawgChic]

Great questions!

I use a small battery operated puck light in the coop to draw them in.

I could get one of those. There is no electricity at the coop so I was thinking about getting one or two of those and putting them in so if I needed to check on something out there and it was dark I would have a light. Does the coop need to be well lit in the evening for them to come in?

Mine four chicks do the same thing! I try to put one in and she comes running out! Then another one goes in on her own and decides she still has things to do and comes right out. It’s quite a show trying to put them to bed.

What’s funny is during the day, my chicks would go in and out of the coop no problem at all! It’s actually been their daily routine to all go back inside after bfast for some lounging and napping. So it’s not like they don’t like they coop. I actually thought about just leaving the coop door open at night since everythjng is predator proof. But those little crazy chicks would stand at the end of the run screaming for me as soon as it gets dark as if they decide that they want to go to bed now. But when I go outside and try to shuffle them in they start running around refusing to go in…. It’s weird. Maybe it’s just a phase?!

I'm glad to hear I'm not the only one having the problem if you would even call it a problem! Sounds like yours are about as funny as mine are. We are really enjoying them a lot.

Yours are doing better than mine because they just stay in the run all day. No going in and out of the coop. I think I may have to put some steps in between the ones I have on the ramp. I am wondering if they don't want to walk up and down the ramp because they don't have a good grip in between each step. We will see if these other fine folks in here can confirm that or not for me. That's what I love about this page!