how to coop train chickens?

[asteria01]

We just finished our coop/run, and finally put our chickens in!

no more sleeping in the bathroom for them! They love it out here, but Im wondering how to get them to actually sleep in the coop? They just sleep in the run for now, and dont seem to know to go into the box for sleeping. Also Ive read that we even need to train them to sleep on the roost, but how do we do that?

 

[DanEP]

To train them to the coop will require locking in the coop for a few days so that they consider the coop home. The problem with that is the heat right now. I don't know where you are in Ca but if your temps are like ours in Ky (mid 90's) the coop must be very well ventilated and I still would run a fan for cooling. Basically locking you chickens in a hot coop at high temps is not the way to go and could kill them. In that case you may have to just put them back in the coop at night till they get the hang of putting themselves to bed. If you have the room feeding and watering them in the coop will help getting them used to going into the coop and you might also try putting a light in the coop.to coax them in at night.
It would help to know how old your flock is and what you daytime temps are.

 

[feather lane 52]

I was luckie my four just started using the coop from day one same time every night

 

[shortgrass]

They kinda learn in their own...they are scared of the dark; they can't see, so they will want to go in naturally.

Food is an excellent motivator. I use colored coffee cans and buckets. All red. They love red for some reason... Red coffee can for feed and they get used to the red can, follow you anywhere, including into the coop.

Herd them in about an hour before sunset so they can get settled, and close them in. After a few nights they'll go in on their own (depending on breed, my Anconas sleep in the trees not the coop)

They also roost on their own. The roosts should be wide enough for them to comfortably sit on, 2x4 with the flat side up are perfect. 18 inches should be a good distance between roosting boards, at an angle so they don't just sit and poop on each other... They'll explore and find a spot they like

 

[asteria01]

To train them to the coop will require locking in the coop for a few days so that they consider the coop home. The problem with that is the heat right now. I don't know where you are in Ca but if your temps are like ours in Ky (mid 90's) the coop must be very well ventilated and I still would run a fan for cooling. Basically locking you chickens in a hot coop at high temps is not the way to go and could kill them. In that case you may have to just put them back in the coop at night till they get the hang of putting themselves to bed. If you have the room feeding and watering them in the coop will help getting them used to going into the coop and you might also try putting a light in the coop.to coax them in at night.
It would help to know how old your flock is and what you daytime temps are.

My EEs are 3 months and my slw is 5 months. Our temps are super hot in the high 90s-100s, so locking them in would not be a good idea. If we manually place them in at night, they will learn to go in by themselves?

 

[larissap112]

I'm glad you posted this thread.

I'm building a new coop right now and I thought - I'm in Texas with 100+ degree days. No amount of ventilation is going to help them if I lock them up during the day. So, each night we'll just gently re-arrange them to their new digs.

 

[shortgrass]

My EEs are 3 months and my slw is 5 months. Our temps are super hot in the high 90s-100s, so locking them in would not be a good idea. If we manually place them in at night, they will learn to go in by themselves? 

Yep, sure thing. As soon as dusk hits, they stay put, so if you help them out for a few days, show them where the 'safe roost' AKA coop is, they'll mosey in there on their own after a few days; you might even have days when they go in early when its going to storm or something