Is there a way to get chicks to sleep in the coop?

[Bawkbok]

We have a solar powered auto door with a manual option. using the auto door the light goes on within a specific timeframe before the door closes. Once they see the light, place them in the coop and let the door close so they get used to the light meaning "come home" followed by the door action. To ensure no one would quickly bolt out or stand in the frame, we close the manual door (located on the outside of the auto door) and wait for the auto door to close, then reopen the manual door. This process only took three nights before they 'got it'. Now that it's ugly hot and humid at night, we leave the door open all night for extra air but they cozy up in the back until early in the morning before dawn when I find one of them sleeping in the door way. She is the one who usually shows signs of heat stress first.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Oh that could be it. Our chicken run has a solar light so it's lit up but inside the coop isn't!

What is the purpose of the solar light in the run? Their signal to go to bed is that it is getting dark. It sounds like they are going to bed at the right time and the window in the coop probably lets in enough light that they can see what they are doing but the contrast between inside the coop and out in the run may be pretty noticeable. Unless you have a compelling reason to leave it on I think I'd shut down that run light.

Chickens can be creatures of habit. Yours are in the habit of sleeping in that doorway. Your problem is that you don't want them sleeping in the doorway this winter. I'd try to break that habit. After they are settling in for the night I'd lock them in the coop and close that door so they cannot sleep there. Some people would recommend putting them on the roosts you want them to use but I personally would not. They will figure out where they want to sleep. If they decide to sleep in a nest I'd change my mind about this but that is a different issue. If you are consistent every night they should soon get the message.

 

[LaFleche]

We have quite a bit of ventilation. The back doors open completely and are blocked by chicken wire, so it's like a screen door for them. And the coop door is open all day!

Chicken wire is not safe, better cover it with hardware cloth to keep predators out.

I have two vents a whirly thingy on the roof and their door stays open all day. I have a temp gauge inside the coop, it usually reads 70-82° during the day, less of there is a nice breeze (usually everyday).

For hot summer temperatures you can build a summer door covered in hardware cloth to keep the coop ventilated.

 

[LaFleche]

Yes we do!

How many and do you keep them open completely?

 

[MarvsMom]

How many and do you keep them open completely?

We keep the window always

 

[MarvsMom]

Chicken wire is not safe, better cover it with hardware cloth to keep predarors out.

For hot summer temperatures you can build a summer door covered in hardware cloth to keep the coop ventilated.

Sorry it isn't chicken wire. It is hardware cloth. Our entire coop is hardware wire surrounding the wooden coop

 

[LaFleche]

Sorry it isn't chicken wire. It is hardware cloth. Our entire coop is hardware wire surrounding the wooden coop

Good choice

 

[TheOldBiddy]

Chicken wire is not safe, better cover it with hardware cloth to keep predators out.

For hot summer temperatures you can build a summer door covered in hardware cloth to keep the coop ventilated.

The door to my run is 1/2” hardware cloth (so is everything else including the floors and windows) and in 12 years, nothing has gotten through. Chicken wire will only keep chickens IN, while hardware cloth keeps varmints OUT.

 

[MarvsMom]

The door to my run is 1/2” hardware cloth (so is everything else including the floors and windows) and in 12 years, nothing has gotten through. Chicken wire will only keep chickens IN, while hardware cloth keeps varmints OUT.

Yes, ours is hardware cloth, I had corrected my message earlier!

The door to my run is 1/2” hardware cloth (so is everything else including the floors and windows) and in 12 years, nothing has gotten through. Chicken wire will only keep chickens IN, while hardware cloth keeps varmints OUT.

 

[TheOldBiddy]

Yes, ours is hardware cloth, I had corrected my message earlier!

Relieved to hear it! <phew>