How to teach chickens to come out of coop.

[Poetspets]

My 6 and 8 week old chickens won’t come out of the coop to the run. One will come down the ramp and then run right back up, occasionally 2-3 at a time will come down dust bathe quick and then run back in. It’s beautiful out 70’s and sunny. How do I get them to enjoy their time outside? I have been just letting them decide to come out on their own. I have tried adding treats to the run but they are not interested.

 

[AlleysChicks]

They will come out when they are ready. Being so little still they are afraid.

 

[Frazzemrat1]

Since they know HOW to come out, I'm assuming your feed is in the coop. Put it outside the coop and give them a reason to come out. They'll get there.

 

[Ridgerunner]

There is no reason to teach them to come out. They will when they are ready. I normally raise 17 to 23 at a time. Sometimes when I first open the pop door all of them are on the ground within 15 minutes. Sometimes it takes three days for all of them to come out. Those are the extremes, most are somewhere in between. That's just the way they are, it is perfectly natural.

Why do you want to stress them and make them do something they are not ready to do? It won't be that long before they are outside all day every day, including in bad weather. Then your question will be how do I get them to go into the coop. The answer to that one is if they want to go into the coop, they will.

 

[aart]

I'm a bit more hands on and just toss mine out into the run, freaks 'em out at first then they start enjoying the dusting and bugs and flying around and all that. They have a place to shelter and feel safe, put down some scratch and a waterer, couple of branches to clamber on. Spread scratch on the ramp to entice them to go back up. Couple of days of that and they are in and out all day on their own. Just put the 2wo olds out yesterday for a couple hours, then brought them back in by hand...was a it too windy...a few went in and out in the afternoon. This morning most went out on their own as soon as I opened the pop door.