Help! My Chickens stopped putting themselves to bed!

[fuzziesquirel]

Help! My chickens stopped putting themselves to bed! So I had a small chicken coop that was supposed to hold only about 6 chickens, but I had 16, so we built our chickens a big 8x8 chicken shed. While we were building the shed we moved their small coop over by where we were building their new home. They were putting themselves to bed. Then when the new one was done I shut up their old one and opened up the new one. (But I only have a big people door, not a small chicken one in the new house). We had to put them into the new house the first few days, then one evening I found them all inside by themselves. But most nights I have to go find them (they are free range) and catch them and put them to bed. They have only put themselves to bed in their new house about 3 times in the 2 weeks they have been in there. Now they are huddling behind a fence decoration I have in my front porch. Any suggestions on how to get them to go to bed by themselves?

 

[Taj_MaChicken]

Lock them up in the new coop for a couple days so they know that's their home?

 

[UncleDougsChickens]

Is it possible to put a chicken door on the big door? Maybe they would like that and go by themselves. Other than that its just a waiting game. Our new babies took about 4-5 days to start going into the coop on their own. I say they will learn in time since they have to leave the building every morning.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Did you lock them in the new coop for any period of time before letting them free range again? Sounds like they're having a hard time figuring out exactly where "home" is.

Does the new coop either have lighting inside or windows to let in light, so they can see easily when they go in at dusk?

 

[fuzziesquirel]

Did you lock them in the new coop for any period of time before letting them free range again? Sounds like they're having a hard time figuring out exactly where "home" is.

Does the new coop either have lighting inside or windows to let in light, so they can see easily when they go in at dusk?

 

[fuzziesquirel]

No to any of those questions. I'm totally new to chickens. So I will get a light and stuff to put on the windows so I can open them.

 

[rosemarythyme]

No to any of those questions. I'm totally new to chickens. So I will get a light and stuff to put on the windows so I can open them.

Is there sufficient space in there to lock them in the coop for a few days? If not, you'll need to manually herd them in until they learn for themselves.

Adding a good source of light (natural is my preference, since I don't have to manage it) will help make the coop more appealing to them at night, when it's hard for them to see.

 

[aart]

Lock them in the coop, 24/7, for a week.

 

[fuzziesquirel]

Is it possible to put a chicken door on the big door? Maybe they would like that and go by themselves. Other than that its just a waiting game. Our new babies took about 4-5 days to start going into the coop on their own. I say they will learn in time since they have to leave the building every morning.

its been about 2 weeks.

 

[Kuntry Klucker]

sounds like they are not aware that the new coop is their new home. You may need to lock them in their coop for a few days till they know that is their new home. Chickens are creatures of habit, when you disrupt their routine they don't know what to do.

It may take a few weeks for them to associate this new place as home.