HELP, How do I get the chicks to go in the coop at dusk?

[Jayare's Chicks]

I have had my 3 month old chickies out in the coop and run for about 3 weeks now and they haven't figured out how to go back into the coop when it starts getting dark. They just huddle up somewhere in the run and hunker down in a trance or something and I have to go out to the run and pick them up and place them in their coop. The 4 Phoenix seam to go in and out on their own all day long but the others just haven't figured it out yet.

What do I need to do to get them to go inside at dark on their own?

Jayare

 

[jjthink]

Can you entice them inside with something yummy at bedtime until they get in the habit?
JJ

 

[Jayare's Chicks]

Burrrr, I just came in from outside and had to pick up 6 cold chickies in the dark and put them inside the coop. It is 18 degrees outside right now. I had to put the 2 Australorps, the Delaware and 3 RIR in the coop. The 4 Phoenix and 1 RIR were allready inside.

I guess I will try to coax them inside with some treats just before dark tomarrow and see if that helps.

Jayare

 

[anniemyth]

I had the same problem with my guineas. Couple of things you can do. Leave them in the coop for a couple weeks without letting them out. They may not know where home is yet. Then at the end of the 2 weeks let them out again.

Next, try putting a light on inside the coop. flashlight works or one of those battery powered touch lights. just shine it where they need to be heading. My guineas were starting to come in way too late and their eyesight wasn't good enough to see their way in.

Hope this helps!

 

[Jayare's Chicks]

I do have a red heat lamp inside there and it is on and they can/should see the light as it does shine out the little chickie door.

I have heard about locking them in their coop for about 2 weeks before letting them out but I thought that was if there was no fenced in run. So I guess I may have to just leave them in the coop for a few days and not let them out. I guess I will shut the red heat light off during the day if the weather is not too cold and then turn the red light back on at dusk for them and see if that helps.

Jayare

 

[buckbeak]

I go out at dusk when I have new ones outside & put them into the coop. After a couple of nights, they do it on their own. I've never had to keep them in the coop. How long have they been out?

 

[s6bee]

My hens did that for a while too but temps were warmer so I wasn't so concerned. I was actually away when they finally decided to go in. I would just lock them in the coop for a few days again and then try again. It will click eventually.

 

[Wildsky]

Mine just go in on their own...

I did keep them locked in the coop for about a week before opening them up to their run... (they were 8 weeks old at the time)

 

[claud]

Do they go in the coop at all during the day? Mine would go in because their food and water was in there but at dusk they did the pile in a corner thing. It took about 4 nights of putting them in the coop until they got the hang of it - I would put treats IN the coop during the day to so they'd get used to going in. Do they have a good roost inside? They usually have a strong instinct to roost. I would pick them up and put them on the roost in the dark. If that doesn't work I'd do the lock-up.

 

[palabeco]

I just tell mine it's bedtime, and they go in! hehe