First night in coop, questions

[showjumper_girl2002]

Unfortunately I only have the two chicks, so no older hens to show them how to do things. The coop is off of the ground and they haven't tried going in to explore on their own yet (although this is their first full day outside in their coop/run). They just stay in the little run that's attached to the coop right now. I will be building a much bigger run in the next couple of weeks but right now they're small enough to use the small run and it keeps them close to the coop in case they decide to venture inside on their own to explore

The roosts are already pretty low so that shouldn't be a problem.

 

[bobbieschicks]

They will figure it out in their own when they are ready. It's amazing how chickens just seem to know intuitively what to do. I would just let them explore their surroundings during the daytime so they can figure out how to feel safe. As long as your run is predator proof/ safe then I would leave them loose and let them make all the choices of when to go inside the coop. My girls usually go in shortly before dark but occasionally one will want to pull an all nighter outside. My run isn't predator proof for night time in that it's a large open area surrounded by welded wire and covered only by bird netting so my girls have to go inside the coop or risk getting killed in the night.

If your run isn't predator proof and the girls are unsure about going into the coop at night you can wait until dark and using as little light as possible, pick them up and move them inside to the floor. They may fuss but they will soon settle down. I wouldn't put a light in with them at night as that could signal daytime and then they'd want to leave the unfamiliar coop.

Chickens are so much fun to watch as they learn and grow!

 

[Hazel my 1st]

So tonight is the first night my 2 cream legbar pullets will be staying in their coop! It's probably silly but I'm nervous for them lol. They are 6-7 weeks old. They won't roost/sit on the perches and peep like crazy when I go to check on them. Is that normal for a chicks first time in the coop? Their peeping makes me feel so bad I put water in with them but not their food, should I put their food in too? I'm sure I'm probably over thinking all this and just being paranoid, but I just want to make sure they're comfortable and I do everything right.

Tonight is my first night and we have lots of wind, they are full feathered so they are ok but they won’t go into there nighttime perch house to stay warm it was not dusk just yet so figured I’ll check here shortly. But yes they are 6 weeks also do yours go into the hen house? Also i have an answer or what i do about the food. I’ll send next