First day in outside coop...chicks haven't ventured inside yet!?!

[Here chickie chickie!]

My five-week-old babies went into their new outdoor coop today. It's a raised coop with a ramp and a door. So far, they've been hanging out under and around the coop, loving the straw bedding and the bugs. I'm concerned they'll never make their way up into the coop. We've been putting food on the ramp to entice them up and so far, two out of five have spent a little time in the coop and then come right back down. Should I physically put them all up in the coop before nightfall? I'm concerned they won't have enough food and water if we don't.

 

[Iheartchicks<3:)]

they will evenntually im sure they are just excited with their findings

 

[Coreyboy18]

Iheartchicks<3

:

they will evenntually im sure they are just excited with their findings

And if they don't go in on their own, you should put them in there just as it is getting dark. Mine knew what to do immediately. They're amazingly intelligent.​

 

[ChooksChick]

This may help you a lot: How to get them in at night.

 

[mikecnorthwest]

I'd put them inside the coop if they're not going up by themselves. Start by putting them on the ramp and pushing them up and inside. The other thing to remember is that chickens are almost blind at night so a light inside the coop helps a lot. I use a solar light kit I bought at Lowes. You can look at my BYC page to see what it looks like.

 

[SparksNV]

I just got my pullets on Friday. The first evening at dusk, we caught them and put them into the coop & closed the door. Last night, at dusk, they all went in by themselves! We locked up the coop and went inside! Amazing!

 

[white01]

I posted this on another thread, as I was worried to they would not go in, hehe...I have also added a light and they now go in on there own...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=4638776#p4638776


It is a funny story with pics hehe