help! how to get 8 week old chicks to go into the coop at night?

[rechena]

Mine had the same problem and by advices from this forum, I've started to light a small patio light near the runway to the coop and for the past couple of nights they are climbing nice and fine to bed. Does your coop have a window?
Take a look at the forum post where I got my advices, here - https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6255167

Like someone said - "They will eventually learn"

good luck with your hens.

 

[winnman]

At 7 weeks I put mine in the coop with water anf food. the I opened the door to their run and out the went. I the turned on a heat lamp and at night they just came back in on their own. I switched to a red light later,much later that night. Now I am down to a simple red party light. So far so good. I will clean out the coop to day and ad more wood shavings. Good luck and have fun. put the food and water in the coop if you can.

 

[write2caroline]

Try one of those solor night lights. I put them in the coop and my girls would go inside. I takes a few days to learn to go up to bed but they will figure it out. the night Light helped a lot.
Caroline

 

[Forever Green]

We free range. If we waited until dark some of our birds wouldn't go into the coop, but would jump about 6 feet into our bushes. The first time it took us forever to find them, we were looking ground low and they were up high. We would have to round them up for about a week and take them to the coop. We learned it was a little easier to round them up at dusk by a common whistle we use when we have treats. They learned quickly if they heard that whistle they came running and followed us to the coop. We gave them treats (mine love bread) once they came inside the coop.

So at night, they are docile, we didn't have to chase or coax them, but look in bushes and snatch them up. At dusk, whistle the same tune to excite them with a treat. Worked every time for us. If I'm out gardening and I just begin to whistle faintly to myself, my birds come running from everywhere to me. We now train our chicks from day olds to the same tune.