Hen Heaven

[Hawgon]

Chickens will be moving in soon......Have had them in during the day to make sure it all works ok.....They seem to love it.....How do I get them to use the coop at night when the time comes????

 

[henney penny]

Put a ligh in there and they will go toward the light,if not you may have to pick them up and put them in untill the get the hang of it.If they have been in the coop for a few days they will go in at night.

 

[kiwiegg]

Nice coop -you did a great job!

 

[Hawgon]

Put a ligh in there and they will go toward the light,if not you may have to pick them up and put them in untill the get the hang of it.If they have been in the coop for a few days they will go in at night.

Thanks henny....I will maybe put an led light or something in there....Still to cold at night here to leave them in all night but in another week or two in they will go..

 

[Dukeofhawg]

Hi Hawg, we put ours outside 3 nights ago... about dark on the first night, we found them huddled up in the run. So we placed them in the coop. The next night at dark they were in the coop on their perch. Last night about 30 min before dark I saw them lining up to walk up the ramp to get in bed. They'll pick it up fast.

 

[Tweakster]

The Duke got it right. You may need to put them in the coop the first few nights but they'll figure it out quickly. I moved my chicks out a few months ago and all of them were under the coop the first evening, then half the second evening, a couple holdouts the third evening, and by the fourth evening all of them were in the coop by themselves. The only time I have had to put them in the coop is when I let them out of the run to free range in my backyard, and the wind blew the door to the run closed, so they couldn't get back in. I now use a brick to hold the run door open instead of a stick.

 

[Hawgon]

Thanks for the info. I got an led light to put in there this week. We have some decent weather here in the NW (decent for us), so I might try putting them in there this week. They were waiting for me by the run door at dark last night and then made there way back to the brooder and jumped in on their own. I think they will be fine, they have caught on to the nipples and everything very quickly. I have found out what creatures of habit they are and how they have that very strong "flock" mentality, where once one does it or goes they all do. We find ourselves sitting in the backyard just watching them, very entertaining...Thanks again for your input.

 

[Dukeofhawg]

Yes Hawgon, aren't they awesome creatures? All with their own personalities, yet the same flocking instinct. I always get a kick out of watching them free ranging, as soon as one bird finds something interesting, the rest run over to see what's happening and often steal the newly found item. I am amazed at how quickly they can tear through an area of weeds or garden leaving behind utter destruction And watching them run is just hilarious.

 

[Hawgon]

I made the move last night and put the led light in there coop just before dark to see if they would make there way up the ramp to the coop. About 15 minutes after dark I went to check on them and they were all roosting on the run door wondering when I was going to take them in the house to the brooder. My grand-daughter and I picked them up and put them in the coop and shut the door with the light in there and they were making some noise but not alot. I walked out of the run and then turned around and went back to the coop and turned the light off and they squawked for all of 30 seconds after I shut the coop door again and then silence! Woke up this morning at 6am to check on them and let them out of the coop and they were all sleeping in the coop til I opened the door and down the ramp they camp happy as chickens! I know I will probably have to do the same thing again tonight and maybe a couple of more nights but they pick new things up pretty well and will figure out that is home now. My wife excited to get them and their dust out of the house...Thanks for everyones advice on this topic.

 

[Dukeofhawg]

Glad it's going well Hawgon! My guess is tonight they will just go up and get in the coop. They like their nice snuggly safe places.