Go to bed!!!!

[cutbait1961]

My Buff Orpington chicks have been in their coop / run now for about 6weeks....they were in the coop for 4 weeks before i let them into the run..... the first 3 nights in the run they wanted to bed down outside....i put them in the coop every night and shut the door....the 4th night..i went out and they were all inside and on the roosts!!!!....i had put a light in there the first night....now..a week later...they are old hands at going up at night....so...guess what im saying is...if they wont/dont go up the first few nights...put em in the coop yoursellf and theyll get the hang of it soon enough....

 

[azygous]

Well, your chicks are a pretty smart bunch. Not all get the hang of it so quickly. You must be pretty proud of them!

 

[cutbait1961]

Yes i guess you can say i was pretty proud of my chicks for catching on so quickly....now its so easy...i just wanted to share my method of training....i think the light in the coop and cosintentcy does the trick....the funny part was when i opened the door the first morning i let them out....they peeked out the door for an hour before they finally stepped out and went down the ramp

 

[azygous]

Placing a light inside the coop to train your chicks to go inside at dusk was very astute. It's a simple device that a lot of folks overlook when trying to get the chicks to go in on their own.

The simple fact is that baby chicks are very conservative about going anywhere they can't first examine for danger, as you've observed in their hesitation to go outside before first having a peek.

People misunderstand their chicks desire for a light in a dark, unfamiliar coop as being fearful of the dark, but it's that they have an instinct to want to know what lies ahead before placing themselves in an unfamiliar environment.

Chicks are pretty hesitant overall at trying new things, and if you rush them, it deprives them of developing self confidence from having overcome their natural hesitations. They can be a lot like human children in this respect.

 

[cutbait1961]

Like kids is right!!!!!!.....