How long do new chickens have to be locked in coop?

[VCBirdmom]

My chicks need to be moved to their new 'digs', and it's too hot to confine them to their solid-sided coop. When y'all are talking about this confinement, do you mean their coop alone, or the coop and run they will be kept in? I have no problem with turning them loose in the combination. Please advise; today's the day!

 

[Mrs. K]

^^^ I was just thinking the same thing. I have never locked mine in the coop. However, all my set ups have an enclosed run attached. So I do keep them in the coop/run set up for a couple of days.

I have found even adding new birds just before sundown, they naturally head to the coop to roost up.

I would be very worried about locking chickens in a coop if the weather got hot. I leave the pop up door open at all times so the chickens can regulate themselves.

Mrs K

 

[aart]

and it's too hot to confine them to their solid-sided coop.

Sounds like you might need some more ventilation.

 

[pinkyorpington]

QUESTION FOR ALL YOU WISE/EXPERIENCED FOLKS:

After a few days letting my chickens get used to the run during the day and the coop at night, i locked them up in the coop (plenty of space, well ventilated) for the last 3 days/nights. I'm hoping they are ready to come out now, perfectly imprinted.

I keep reading about people letting them out for the first time a few hours before it's time for them to find their way back again for bedtime -- is this recommended?

Or should I wait one more night and give them a full day in the run tomorrow and then see if they imprinted the coop as the bedtime/end of day place tomorrow night?

Any benefits either way? My birds seem very eager to leave the coop -- when i open the door to feed and water them they seem to want OUT. Thoughts?

Is there a "right" way to do this?

 

[Mrs. K]

Any way that they don’t wind up dead is the right way, you can fix nearly anything else. Personally, I think they know more about being a chicken than people do. If mine wanted out, I would let them out.

Just let them out into the run during the day time, the run being the outside fenced part, you generally put them in the coop at night, ( a little confused with your post?) just before dark make sure they are all in the coop, lock it up, in morning let them out. Night go lock them up again. When they are already in the coop before you get there, they have it figured out.

Now if you want free range them, wait till they have been in your coop/run set up for a while, and then let them out of that in the late afternoon,leaving an opening to the coop. Again, check just before dark, but they should be right where you want the,.

 

[pinkyorpington]

Thanks Mrs. K — sorry, my goal is specific, but i failed to mention it! I want them to go into the coop at the end of each day with out my having to wrangle them — which was the case when i left them in the run all day/coop at night without first imprinting.

 

[Mrs. K]

You might have to wrangle them a couple of nights, especially if there is a ramp. I have cheated and put a cardboard box on it’s side, they snuggle up in it, I scoop that up and place the whole thing inside. My coop is a ground level, so I don’t really have as much of a problem as others. Even so, I am betting you are past the worst of it.

 

[aart]

i locked them up in the coop (plenty of space, well ventilated) for the last 3 days/nights.

3 days may or may not be long enough. Let them out and see if they go up tonite.

 

[Ridgerunner]

That is a clear worthy goal.

You don't get guarantees with living animals and behaviors for anything but certainly not for this. Locking them in the coop for a few days before letting them in the run does not guarantee they will return to the coop at night. Mine never do in my grow-out coop which is elevated. Mine generally do in my two ground level coops so I think what your coop looks like makes a difference. Some chickens are just stubborn too.

If you leave them locked in the coop section only for a few days they might return there at night, they might not. If they don't I wait until dark and they have made their pile, them pick them up and lock them in the coop. Once I had a brood catch on right away, the next night they all went in in their own. I've had a couple of broods that took three weeks for the last one to start going in on its own. Most of the time the last one catches on after about a week. I wish I could be more positive for you but it's something I face every time in that Grow-out coop. I don't look at it so much as a problem, just something I'm resigned to deal with unless I rebuild my grow-out coop.

Good luck!