Left them outside in the run

[dixygirl]

I moved my chickens from one side of the house to the other side of the house. I only have 4 bantams so a large 16 sq ft dog house is what I am using and I moved their pen.

They have not gotten used to the idea of staying in their new coop yet and last night it started pouring down rain about 8 so I just left them locked in their pen which has a net roof.
This morning they are all still there. How can I convince them to go inside of their smaller new coop. The 4 minis used to have a huge cement shed before I moved them. I need to teach them to go inside their new coop to roost at night instead of staying loose in the pen.
Any ideas?
thanks so much

 

[MHF]

Go out at night, pick them up and lock them in the coop?

 

[4hooves&featheredfriends]

A light in the pen, turned on at 8'ish (timers are great); treats to come in -lather, rinse & repeat.

 

[dixygirl]

thanks so much. I will try. They seem to be claustrophobic of the 4'x4' coop after being spoiled with a big 10x10 building.

I will try to put a light in there tonight. Their food bowl is already there, maybe I will cut some fresh vegetables and lay them in a trail leading to a big heap inside

The trail of chicken feed did not work last night. The light might do the trick with more temptiing food. I will update you all.

 

[patandchickens]

Just pick them up and PUT them in the coop. That is far, far safer than leaving them out.

Also make sure the coop has enough windows (or a nightlight, but windows are better) that they can see to go in there -- remember chickens have terrible night vision and when it's dusk outside it can be really dark in an insufficiently windowed coop.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[dixygirl]

I wonder if a circular saw can sit straight into the side of a wooden building so I can cut out a window? I will cover it with hardware wire but I am wondering how to cut straight into the side of a wooden building without getting too many more gray hairs?

PS I already added vents by using a hole saw on a drill. That was easy enough, but the window seems a bit harder to cut for an amateur like me.
I will try.

 

[lux_interior]

Yeah, I used to pick mine up and put them in, but then I realised they are afraid of the dark, and I started putting a light in their coop when the sun went down, it lures them in

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Enh, you can sort of do that in some situations but you'd better have a good saw and be very familiar with it and not too concerned about safety.

There is a much much easier safer way, which is to use a 1/2" drill bit to put holes in the corners and then cut between them with a power jigsaw or manual hole saw, if it's a plywood wall. Or for a wall made with dimensional lumber, use a hole saw for the corners and then a reciprocating saw to cut between them. If you the dislike rounded corners (on either version) you can always clean them out to square once the hole is cut. Personally I leave 'em rounded

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[vnploveschickens]

Have you tried to lock them in their "new" coop for a couple of days so they learn this is their new home? Then hopefully, with the little light, they go into their coop every night.

 

[cmom]

I do have a night light in my coop. In the beginning every evening I would put some scratch grains in the coop to encourage them to go in. Now they go in and no more treats. As I got them used to it I cut back on the treats. I did shut them in for a few days in the beginning to get them used to their coop then started the treats in the evenings.