Help! My chickens are over 8 weeks and cry every night in the coop

[MCO]

Hi I have Serama chickens and they are slightly over eight weeks old. I have to bring them in as soon as it gets dark or they start screaming and one of them was flying into the sides of the coop. I've never seen them behave like that. The coop is beautiful. It has a run and a separate enclosed area. I tried putting them in the separate area. They were not having it. I put a solar light in there food and water but they are upset and cry until I bring them inside. I can't bring them in every night. They're getting bigger now. What can I do? I'm worried about getting them upset. I don't like to see them upset like that. Any suggestions? Thank you!

 

[ChickenFeeds]

Do they go in the coop in the day or do they just hang out in the run?

 

[FrostRanger]

Here's what to do
When it gets dark put them in the coop, shut the door, walk away, don't come back until time to let them out in the morning. They'll cry for a bit but they'll settle eventually. They're crying 'cause they're scared 'cause this is new to them. Just because they're crying doesn't mean you have to do anything. They will be fine, they'll figure out that the coop isn't scary and after a few days of that they should figure out the coop is home and will go in on their own.
My current batch of 7 cried their first night outside. I did exactly what I laid out and they were totally fine come morning and within a few days they had the coop = home thing figured out

 

[MCO]

Here's what to do
When it gets dark put them in the coop, shut the door, walk away, don't come back until time to let them out in the morning. They'll cry for a bit but they'll settle eventually. They're crying 'cause they're scared 'cause this is new to them. Just because they're crying doesn't mean you have to do anything. They will be fine, they'll figure out that the coop isn't scary and after a few days of that they should figure out the coop is home and will go in on their own.
My current batch of 7 cried their first night outside. I did exactly what I laid out and they were totally fine come morning and within a few days they had the coop = home thing figured out

Ok thank you so very much! I was hoping to leave the door of the coop open with the run so it old be easy to go away and have someone watch them because everything is secured. We even put the wire on the floor, but I'm going to have to shut the door and put them in the coop like you said to help them feel secure. I tried this, but the door was open next time I will shut the door. I've done that before as well, but I will walk away as hard as it is because it's best for them thank you so much!!

 

[MCO]

Do they go in the coop in the day or do they just hang out in the run?

They mostly hang out in the run. Sometimes they will be up in the coop in one of the nesting beds. They all fit in one.

 

[FrostRanger]

Ok thank you so very much! I was hoping to leave the door of the coop open with the run so it old be easy to go away and have someone watch them because everything is secured. We even put the wire on the floor, but I'm going to have to shut the door and put them in the coop like you said to help them feel secure. I tried this, but the door was open next time I will shut the door. I've done that before as well, but I will walk away as hard as it is because it's best for them thank you so much!!

Once they start roosting in the coop reliably you can leave the door open if you're confident in your security. They just need it close for now as you're training them that their coop is their home

 

[MCO]

I see that makes perfect sense! Thank you so much!!

 

[RubelliteRose]

I put a solar light in there food and water but they are upset and cry until I bring them inside.

They don't really need food and water at night and the food will probably start attracting mice. I suspect that if you take the solar light away, they will calm down and fall asleep fairly quickly
We have to train every new batch of babies to go into the coop at night by physically picking them up and placing them just inside the pop door. It takes a week or two, but eventually they figure it out and go in on their own.

 

[MCO]

They don't really need food and water at night and the food will probably start attracting mice. I suspect that if you take the solar light away, they will calm down and fall asleep fairly quickly
We have to train every new batch of babies to go into the coop at night by physically picking them up and placing them just inside the pop door. It takes a week or two, but eventually they figure it out and go in on their own.

Oh wow ok got it thank you!!

 

[WingItRanch]

When my chicks left the brooder, I placed them in the coop and specifically didn’t allow them to access the run for a week. This allowed them to understand the coop was a safe space. Then I opened access to the run and moved the food and water outside to the run. They were cautious about leaving the coop but they eventually explored the run when they saw the food and water on the ground.

Their instincts kicked in when it started getting dark and they automatically filed into the coop at night.

I also invested in an automatic coop door that closes after nightfall and opens in the morning. The first couple weeks I checked every night to make sure they all made it in on time for the door to close. They figured it out pretty quickly!