First day with 4-week old chicks: help?

[WhichCameFirst?]

Naturally, my first post is in the wrong forum section

Never had chickens before, and my 3 chicks arrived today! Coop was all ready with food and water. Managed to get them into coop without much trauma for any of us.
This is a pic of my coop, but I have an extension attached to right side so there are 3 sections.

Well, the chicks stayed only in the section under the roost, where the food and water is. No exploring. I figured they had never been in a coop before, only a pen, so they didn't know they could wander. They did some dust bathing in the sand right next to the dust bath I had set up lol. They hung out there all day, eating and drinking well, and finally about 7:30pm I figured I should gather each one up and place them in the roosting area. As you can see, the coop is not a large one to stand up in, so grabbing the chicks was a challenge, but got it done! Well, they looked out the window at me like, "so now what do we do?" I told them to go by instinct! When I checked on them about 10:00, they were sleeping grouped together on the floor, but not on a roosting bar.
I have no idea if, in the morning when I open the door, they will bound down the ladder to their food.
When might they get acclimated to the setup? Will they need orienting for a few days, with me moving them in and out of the roost? Or should I just open the door and figure if they want food they'll get there?
Thanks for any advice!

 

[Pork Pie]

Personally, I'd keep them in the coop section for a couple of days, with food and water. Some members would not bother with this. I'm lazy, and catching chicks before dusk is not my idea of fun. After a couple of days, the coop will be imprinted on them as "home" and you can then let them out and put the food and water in the run area. They should return to the coop before nightfall. They will begin to use the roost in their own good time - nothing to worry about.

These links may be helpful:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...first-60-days-of-raising-baby-chickens.47691/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/category/hatching-eggs-raising-chickens.22/

Any questions that you may have regarding your chicks will be best posted here - http://www.backyardchickens.com/f/11/raising-baby-chicks

Good luck and enjoy them

 

[ChickNanny13]

They'll acclimate just give them sometime. I got 4 BO that were 8wks at the end of May, they chose to sleep in a corner on the ground, never thought they'd ever move up to the roost. Earlier this month notice they were spending more time on the higher roosts in back but would drop down in the evening to the lowest up front of their enclosure. Decided to "help" them, a week ago I went out at dark and put them on the rear roosts. They now sleep where I want them, the roost with the poop board under it....Easy cleaning. Give them time, they'll learn their new surroundings ...

 

[WhichCameFirst?]

Thanks for your replies!
Sure enough, this morning they just sat in the roost when I opened the door. I had to "help" them down the ladder. I won't worry about them, tho. They'll get the hang of it, like you say. Babies are babies no matter the creature!