Get chicks to go into coop at night?

[Ol Grey Mare]

My 7 week olds are in and out of the coop all day long. Around dusk I bring them a bowl of cooked oatmeal (to keep them warm at night, it is slow to digest). They run in to eat their evening oatmeal and I close the coop door so they are in all night.

The first night they huddled on the floor, then they discovered the nest boxes so now they all huddle together in one of those (I lined one with a towel and then put a puppy pad over it to catch the mess).

That can be a hard habit to break down the road when laying starts - which leads to nasty nest boxes full of poo, not a great place to gather eggs from. It's generally a better idea to block the nest boxes until they are ready to start laying so they learn to roost on appropriate surfaces. Do you have roosts in the coop that are just too high for them at this point? If so, putting in a temporary roost (as simple as a couple of blocks and a pole/board/stick) up for them to use now will help.

 

[Dschwartz]

Wow, I thought I was crazy. I have had them in the coop for a couple of days, but they don't seem to have the sense to go back in at night. I built the coop so that they could get under for shade and such, but getting them out to put them in means crawling 6 feet under it to get them. Glad I am not alone.

 

[Bwirolla64]

When I walk up to my coop door they all run up to see me. When I enter they all want to be petted. It's kinda funny my wife calls the the bird whisperer. My birds are 6.5 weeks now and have been in the coop for the last week or so and tonight they went in all by themselves. I would have to put them in the coop the first few nights then started putting them on the ramp. Then I would put 1 or 2 on the ramp and they would follow. Hope tonight was the start of no more helping them in at night.

 

[JessicaThistle]

Just put them on the ramp and nudge them in at bedtime. After a couple of nights they will figure it out. Mine did and I was never happier!

 

[Bweis13]

Just put them on the ramp and nudge them in at bedtime.  After a couple of nights they will figure it out.  Mine did and I was never happier!

I sure hope that starts working for us! They all just start crying like babies when it starts to get dark, and we try to shove them up the ramp. They hop off the ramp, and we end up closing the ramp door and putting them in through the egg box door. They're a bit afraid of the older bantams who are already in the coop at that time. It's only been a couple of days, but they sound so pitiful when they start crying. We even have a red light in there for them. Geesh.

 

[Bweis13]

When I walk up to my coop door they all run up to see me. When I enter they all want to be petted. It's kinda funny my wife calls the the bird whisperer. My birds are 6.5 weeks now and have been in the coop for the last week or so and tonight they went in all by themselves. I would have to put them in the coop the first few nights then started putting them on the ramp. Then I would put 1 or 2 on the ramp and they would follow. Hope tonight was the start of no more helping them in at night.

How did that work out? I assume they're going in on their own now. Do you remember how many days it took?

 

[JessicaThistle]

I sure hope that starts working for us! They all just start crying like babies when it starts to get dark, and we try to shove them up the ramp. They hop off the ramp, and we end up closing the ramp door and putting them in through the egg box door. They're a bit afraid of the older bantams who are already in the coop at that time. It's only been a couple of days, but they sound so pitiful when they start crying.

We even have a red light in there for them. Geesh.

I think that consistency is key for them to get the routine. Just like when teaching kids, dogs or anyone else. It needs to be the same each night for them to get the concept. Even though they may sound pitiful, sending them up the ramp is best for them. Putting them through the egg door seems counterproductive as they will never go in that way as adults, right?

My chicks hopped off the ramp and argued with me too. But I consistently put them back on and nudged until they were all in. Then I shut the door behind them. It literally took 3 nights of the same routine for them to get it. Now they go in at 8-8:15 so religiously that I don't even shut the coop door behind them. The coop has a secure run. This way they can get up at 6 am and I don't have to.

I recommend going back to consistently putting them up that ramp until they get it. I think you may be confusing them by putting them in the other door.

 

[Bweis13]

I think that consistency is key for them to get the routine.  Just like when teaching kids, dogs or anyone else.  It needs to be the same each night for them to get the concept.  Even though they may sound pitiful, sending them up the ramp is best for them.  Putting them through the egg door seems counterproductive as they will never go in that way as adults, right?

My chicks hopped off the ramp and argued with me too.  But I consistently put them back on and nudged until they were all in.  Then I shut the door behind them.  It literally took 3 nights of the same routine for them to get it.  Now they go in at 8-8:15 so religiously that I don't even shut the coop door behind them.  The coop has a secure run.  This way they can get up at 6 am and I don't have to.

I recommend going back to consistently putting them up that ramp until they get it.  I think you may be confusing them by putting them in the other door.

Ok, thanks. It's seriously like some carnival game how quickly they run out! It's been taking my daughter and I quite a while to put them to bed. I'll just have her block them in with something like a bucket until I can get the door down. (It sticks. They scramble out in the short time it takes to get it to slide down.) I really should have someone video it. It's so funny!

 

[jbtcajun]

Since being allowed in the run they scramble for the coop when scared.
7:30 pm every night I go to close the door they are huddled in the corner of the run.
When I go in the run they all calmly walk into the coop.
I have to then go out and around to let the door down and every night the same chick (punk rock (black sex link) comes out and stands there waiting for me.) I lift the door and let her in after a minute or two of snuggle time.
Each night I am hoping they will be in the coop, one night the will be.
Then the door will be left open.

 

[Bwirolla64]

The girls seemed to do the same thing for 2 days the figure it out. First I would put 1 inside then they would follow, then 1 on the ramp then they would follow, then they would hangout on top of the door and get knocked off when it closed, the stand in front of it but they figured it out with in a week or so. Now they go in like clockwork.