First night...jammed in the doorway???

[viktoriacl]

So excited to get my 4 EEs out in their coop for the first night! The only issue is they wanted to sit on their perch as they do every night but didnt want to go all the way in their house! They fought over the "3 chicken width" doorway for awhile where they ended up jammed for the night and the 4th just layed out flat of the floor of the house. So funny. I think they were afraid to go in! I went in at dusk to encourage them to go in. They all flew up and tried to use me for a place to sleep. I could not get them off! It was kind of funny but they scratched up my arms and shoulders. I have to change something tonight. All in all a good night though.

 

[crj]

My Marans did that for the longest time. So funny to watch. You'd see all these heads at the little door. When I closed the pop out door they were just far enough away from it to close. The goofy birds still sleep near the door but at least they are on the perch now. Crazy chickens.

 

[viktoriacl]

OK thanks. I think I'll put the perch right near the door. I just thought it would be too drafty. Think it is ok when it is cooler outside? Do you have a perch outside too? I want to have one out and one in but wonder if they will ever go in if there is one outside.

 

[sourland]

Be careful of outside perches and open doors. Unless your pens and coop are very predator proof you may have problems. Clearly visible and "smellable" chickens are an attractant to predators.

 

[viktoriacl]

Yes, they are predator proof weather they are in the enclosed part or the run. I cant wait to see what they do tonight! I'll try to take pics if they pig pile in the doorway again if it's not too dark. It's so funny.

 

[snowflake]

that is funny, do you have any windows? mine all go in and on their perch far from the door, I have a large window that is covered with chicken wire and we leave it open all the time in this weather. they go in and out all day, my daughter has no window and hers don't seem to much of a hurry to go in?

 

[viktoriacl]

Well they are so happy on their perch right inside the door and right in front of a screened in window! They are so cute. They go right in and line up for the night just like they did in the brooder now. YEY!

 

[noodleroo]

We put ours out in the tractor when they were 9 days old. The first few nights they decided that the area around the run door was the place to be. We just waited until after dark and put them inside and that worked. Actually, I think mine would rather perch on me, too.

 

[SmittenChicken]

Mine all piled right by the door their first couple of nights inside the coop, I heard that they like to be able to see when they're getting used to a new place - I left the dim overhead light on for a couple nights and they started sleeping in a different (safer) corner. Now they're always on the roost before it gets dark.

 

[Christie Rhae]

We just pretty much finished with our chicken coop. It has a great hen house with nice perches and pine shavings all comfy inside. The problem is that for 3 weeks the chickens had to sleep out in the run on a low perch and got used to it. Now we are trying to break them of this habit. We have to wait till dusk and then scoop up the chickens and place them on the lowest perch inside the hen house and then lock them in. Tonight is the 5th night we will do this. They spend alot more time in and out of the hen house now and I am sure they will go in and flap up onto their perches on their own soon.