Moving chicks to pen

[JMarieEclectically]

Hi everyone!
We have 6 baby Barred Rocks (1 cockerel, 5 pullets) about ready to move outside. We just finished their coop and I was wondering- Since the box is elevated would it be best to close them in it at night until they learn to go in it themselves?

 

[rosemarythyme]

So couple of things:

- You should be locking them in at night for safety regardless if they know how to get in themselves. If you're not already aware, chicken wire is NOT predator safe so that makes it even more important to securely lock the coop at night.

- That ramp is going to be too steep for them to use, it's at least 45 degrees from what I can see and you need to aim for something more like 30 degrees. You can prop up the end on a cinder block to help reduce the angle but you might need a longer ramp as well.

-

 

[JMarieEclectically]

Thank you for your reply. I do understand for some the chicken wire isn't ideal. Predators are not an issue for us here and we are in the yard with them from dawn til dusk everyday. This pen is just to keep them contained overnight and during bad weather.
I am planning on putting a block under the ramp if needed. Although they do already go up and down it without any issues.

I was just curious if they will learn to go into the box on their own or if there were any tricks to training them to do so.

 

[Whigru]

For the first few nights out, I would take mine and put them into the coop each evening but I also have two older birds that were being mean and not letting them in the doorway. After a week or so, the littles figured it out themselves.

 

[JMarieEclectically]

For the first few nights out, I would take mine and put them into the coop each evening but I also have two older birds that were being mean and not letting them in the doorway. After a week or so, the littles figured it out themselves.

That's great, thank you! We only have a duck besides these babies and she doesn't go into a house, she just nests in a corner of the pen overnight. They're napping in the coop this afternoon without coaxing so I'm thinking they'll adjust ok after we all learn a routine.