How do I get my chicks to sleep in the coop?

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

I’m starting to feel a bit stuck with coop training and would love some input.

I have 10 birds, 5 hens and 5 teen pullets. For almost 10 days now, I have been moving my pullets from their crate (that I used for "see-don't-touch"), into the big girl's coop, but they just won't go in on their own! There is plenty of space in the coop, but they seem content with their dog crate and tarp. I guess I don't really care where they sleep, but I am tired of cleaning the crate + it takes up space. It would really just be easier if everyone slept together in the big coop.

Should I completely block off/remove the crate and force the switch? Or just keep moving them at night and wait it out?


How did you get your stubborn pullets to sleep in the coop?

 

[Mrs. K]

Yep, just close off the crate, or remove it. Right now, it is their first choice, but if it is gone, well they probably will go with the second choice, which should be your coop.

On a side note - 5 older hens, 5 pullets - basically you doubled your flock? So how big is your coop. Space does matter. Post a picture of your set up.

Mrs K

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Yep, just close off the crate, or remove it. Right now, it is their first choice, but if it is gone, well they probably will go with the second choice, which should be your coop.

On a side note - 5 older hens, 5 pullets - basically you doubled your flock? So how big is your coop. Space does matter. Post a picture of your set up.

Mrs K

My coop is about 25 sq ft, which I know is a bit under the typical recommendation for 10 birds, but personally I think perch space is more important. That said, I do have quite a bit of vertical roost space, including rafters. Like, with space between them, 4 birds could sleep in the rafters, then that makes 3 on each lower perch (again, with space between each bird).

Here are some pictures of my setup:

And just to be clear, those windows are not open at night.

The entrance to the coop:

The roosts:

The rafters:

The roosts and rafters:

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Yep, just close off the crate, or remove it. Right now, it is their first choice, but if it is gone, well they probably will go with the second choice, which should be your coop.

On a side note - 5 older hens, 5 pullets - basically you doubled your flock? So how big is your coop. Space does matter. Post a picture of your set up.

Mrs K

Should I close the crate door or take away the crate completely? Like, is there any chance that I will want to reopen the crate at night? If not, I am going to remove it. Thank you!

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Should I close the crate door or take away the crate completely? Like, is there any chance that I will want to reopen the crate at night? If not, I am going to remove it. Thank you!

Just remove it all together. Then, either be out there to make sure they go in the coop, or I'd wait until the big gals are all in, then put your pullets in there and close the door.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Makes the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard, or in this case impossible.. meaning remove the crate that they are choosing to sleep in which makes it impossible for them to make that choice. From there it is on you to continue a little more training to teach them what you do want them to do which is to Coop up at night.
Honestly, they're just doing what you've already trained them to do which is to look at the crate as their home. For good reason, as you were using it for an intended purpose, but during that time you also inadvertently trained them to look at that as where they were supposed to go. It's just a matter of reprogramming that training so that they look at the coop in that same way. Training is just a matter of consistency and repetition

 

[Mrs. K]

Depending on how big the crate is, I just move it into the hen house with the birds in it, leave the door open, next day, they come out of it, into the coop into the run. Then they go back to the crate that night that is in the coop. Pretty soon they are roosting on top of it, and then I pull it. But I am dealing with chicks - maybe 6 weeks old.

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Depending on how big the crate is, I just move it into the hen house with the birds in it, leave the door open, next day, they come out of it, into the coop into the run. Then they go back to the crate that night that is in the coop. Pretty soon they are roosting on top of it, and then I pull it. But I am dealing with chicks - maybe 6 weeks old.

Good idea, but my crate would be much too big for that, so I decided to just remove it all-together from the run, in hopes that they will choose the next best thing - the big coop.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Good idea, but my crate would be much too big for that, so I decided to just remove it all-together from the run, in hopes that they will choose the next best thing - the big coop.

Let us know how it goes plz

 

[ChickenShepherd_6116]

Let us know how it goes plz

Went out around 7:45 tonight to move the pullets in (not fully dark yet, but everyone was sleeping), and Azula had already put herself to bed in the coop, which was a pleasant surprise.
The rest of the pullets chose to sleep on a perch in the run instead. I moved three of them into the coop - Clover up in the rafters, Jemimah next to Azula, and Marlo between Cheese and Foofoo. Cheese was not thrilled about the arrangement and gave Marlo a few pecks, so Marlo decided to snuggle very close to Foofoo, who didnt even seem to notice lol .

Then there was Pearl. She saw me relocating everyone and clearly wanted no part in it, so she jumped off the perch and, after a bit of hesitation, actually went into the coop on her own. Unfortunately she tried to settle near Cheese and got pecked, so I moved her between Jemimah and Azula where she calmed down.

End result: everyone in the coop and settled for the night and no one got driven away!

Cheese made it a little chaotic, but overall a good outcome!