Is it OK to leave my chickens locked in the coop for the winter?

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Your supposed to call them in every night. I trained mine with dried mealworm treats to come in every night right before dark and when need to put back. I just call them and shake container and they all run. I put it in the coop and they all go in to get it. I put the treat in their hanging feeder that is inside the fenced in coop/run. I gradually wean away the treats. Eventually they just go in on own in the evening. I pick up stragglers and put them in occasionally.
 
PetesChicks said:
If they need to get used to the coop being home, it is OK to lock them in, but not for the winter. Locking them in for a week or maybe two will do the trick. After that, they should go in every night when it’s time for bed. I have 8 girls in my coop, about 100 sq. ft., and the run is about 180 sq. ft. They spend a lot of time in the coop during the day, especially in winter, but it’s good to give them the chance to get outdoors when they want.
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X2! This is the answer!

pullets will figure out the nest box process.
 
Skipper81 said:
put A run on your coop the they will go into coop during the day into the nesting boxes to lay and come back out to free range
They don’t like change won’t produce lots of eggs if they aren’t comfortable
Free range chickens hate being locked up
Oh and it’s quite exhausting getting them in coop unless every bird falls for the food/treat trick which usually works great
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The chickens have been in the coop for 4 days now and they've been laying a lot.
 
I think 4 days is plenty to learn it is their home and you can start letting them out free range when you can watch them or in a covered run after laying is pretty much finished for the day. They do not need to be enclosed for weeks to learn this. They will adjust to outside temperatures and be fine. They will still get enough supplemental lighting in the coop if you only add extra lighting a couple hours in the am added to daylight hours to equal 14 hours. This will save you on electricity. Supplemental lighting is not meant to stay on all the time. Keep up the good work.
 
aart said:
:eek: Ha!! Never thought to ask that!

Good!
How'd you get them in there?

Do they seem overly stressed?
I assume you've been in there to check on them?
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I got them in there when they were sleeping. I would grab them after the sun goes down and put them in the coop 1 by 1.

Our older hens only go in there to lay so they're used to it. The newer pullets and cockerels are a little stressed, but they are starting to get used to it.

Yes, at least 3-4 times a day, I'll check on them as well as give them food and water.
 
ChickenJV12 said:
Our older hens only go in there to lay so they're used to it. The newer pullets and cockerels are a little stressed, but they are starting to get used to it.

Yes, at least 3-4 times a day, I'll check on them as well as give them food and water.
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Great!!

The younger ones are probably not used to being confined with the older birds.
Are the youngsters getting picked on at all?

Yeah, I'd leave them in there for a week at least, you want them really 'homed' to sleeping in there before letting them lose again.
 
aart said:
Great!!

The younger ones are probably not used to being confined with the older birds.
Are the youngsters getting picked on at all?

Yeah, I'd leave them in there for a week at least, you want them really 'homed' to sleeping in there before letting them lose again.
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No, the youngsters have been with the older hens all summer while free ranging. Our older hens are 2 years old and our pullets/cockerels are about 6 months now. The youngsters have been with the older ones for about 3 months now. I am also doing this so the pullets know where to lay as they are getting to their POL. They already have combs and waddles so I know they're gonna lay soon.
 

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