How Do I Get Chicks in the Coop for the Night?

[mylilchix]

We just completed our run! Woohoo!! The girls and boys will get their first chance in a while to hang out outside tomorrow. How do I teach them how to go to bed? I had one outside tonight, and she went in the coop when I told her to get in her house. I'm just sure how to get everyone up the gang plank for bed. Thanks for your help!!

Sonja

 

[Wildsky]

If they know how to get inside, they will automatically go in when the sun goes down. Like magic!

 

[my first peepers]

Our run and coop aren't attached yet because we have to get some tree work done...when the sun starts to set they start peeping like mad and as soon as I open the run door they run dash for the coop! It is so cute and they just figured it out on their own!

 

[therealsilkiechick]

we built drop doors on all our pens. just before dark we unwind the srting and let the door drop closed(slide shut). in the morning we opened them. at first we had to chase them in,lol. after a week or 2 they learned they did it on their own.

the adult flock still does it automatically and the younger flock now has learned it from them.

 

[Hangin Wit My Peeps]

We kept ours in the hen house for two weeks..then let them out in the run. The first night we had to put most in but the second night all but one went in on their own. Third night and every night after...they ALL went in. The big thing is make sure you check when sundown is. Ours will not go in until 8:30pm which is what sunset is here in WI.

If I try to put them in before hand they will go but they will sit by the screen and cry! If you google sunset time in your area it will tell you every day when sunset is. It's different every day of course. Keep an eye on that.

 

[antiquebuff]

Take the chicks and set them on the plank one at a time and they will learn in about a week and will go up when it gets dusky dark. It takes mine 4 to 5 days and some will go in the first day!
Good Luck!

 

[MonkeyZero]

mine run in when i open the coop. throw in some food. thats how mine learned

 

[AngieChick]

Mine must be incredibly stupid. We have to shoo them out in the morning (tomorrow will be their 4th morning) during which time they cheep as if we are murdering them. Once set on the ramp a couple of rungs down, if they think to look around they notice that they can get to the run and do hop down. Meanwhile, the ones waiting up in the coop will run in circles cheeping madly trying to get to their buddies while completely ignoring the ramp. Getting them in at night is the same general routine. When it's dark I find them parked at the bottom of the ramp, squished together, peeping desperately for me and looking around like "I know there's something we're supposed to be doing, but what?". Mind you, this is with the only light source being in the coop, at the top of the ramp

I tried to put a worm on each step, thinking I could bribe them into cleverness. No such luck. Oh well, I'm hoping within the next week they will suddenly gain the brain cells to figure out the ramp.

Thanks for posting the great question, I was no help as I am obviously struggling with the same issue I am sure yours will be a bit more cooperative than mine.

 

[snewman]

My chicks learned on their own, but it took them a few days. I just left them inside, opened the door to the ramp and let them figure it out. As they ventured out, one step at a time, retreating back up the ramp each time, they learned both to be more adventurous and how to navigate the ramp. The precocious dark cornish (all 10 of them) were the first out. Everyone else took at least until the second day. The cornish X broilers have never set foot out the door. Apparently they are refusing to be "free-range". Everyone automatically goes in at night, since they learned on the way out how to do the ramp. The ducks refuse to go inside though. Any tricks for that would be useful...

 

[Linda in San Diego]

We put our Delightful Dozen to bed slightly before sunset for a little over a week and now they go in and settle down all by themselves. They even figured out the perching part a couple of weeks after that. They went out when they were 5 weeks old.