moving to coop at night

[mrlacewing]

Hi,
I'm looking for suggestions on how to move my chicks to their coop full time.
I tried to leave my five week old chicks in their A frame tractor coop last night. I left the ladder down, hoping they would go up to their nesting boxes to sleep. I went out to check on them after dark and they were huddled on the ground in the corner. The coop is made with chicken wire which I've been meaning to reinforce with hardware cloth. I didn't feel good about where they were so i brought them back in to the brooder
thanks for any advice!
Dana

 

[Judy]

You may have to place them in the coop at dusk for the first week or so. Be sure it's not hotter in there than it is outdoors. I agree that I wouldn't leave them in there all night til I got it more predator proofed with hardware cloth, though. It should help if you can give them some time during the day in the tractor, too.

 

[RonC]

Putting a small light in the coop will encourage them to go inside at night. Had to put mine in the coop the first night. Second night I set one on the ramp at the door and the others followed. Third night they went in on their own.

 

[mrlacewing]

Thanks for that! I should have included that they are spending most of the day in the bottom part of the tractor, they just don't want to go up to their nesting boxes at night. It has a ladder with a pulley that I can put up and that seems pretty predator proof to me. How about if I put them up in the top part with the ladder pulled up for a night? They have been weened off of the light in their brooder so would I still need a light?

I'm in a bit of a hurry to get them in their coop because I am taking care of my sick mom and it's difficult to be there morning and night to bring them in and out of their brooder. I'm sure my husband would rather go out there and pull the ladder up than carry chickens in and out.

Thanks for the help!
Dana

 

[bucky52]

mine where seven weeks old when i moved mine from the brooder into their coop.that was in april.and we still was having some cold nights.i took the brooder light and hung it in the coop.at night i would close them in.and come morning i would open up their door.they were in and out of the coop during the day and come night they would all lay under the light to stay warm.chickens do not like to go in dark places.i have white christmas lights in my coops.because my chickens won't go in if their coops are dark.

 

[jules1329]

I just moved 25 four week old chicks to the coop that houses our four layers and HRIC (Head Roo In Charge). My husband built a little chicken wire enclosure inside, so the chickens can get used to each other, with a safety barrier. I kept the chicks penned up in the enclosure for two days, then starting letting them free access to the coop for a couple of hours, each day. Then for two days, I let the chicks forage outside with the Big Kids, under close parental supervison. The hens and roo gave a couple of particularly impudent youngsters a gentle reprimand or two, but it was otherwise uneventful. Yesterday and today, the chicks have been allowed to forage all day. I keep a baby gate across the entrance to their enclosure -- where there's a heat lamp, food and water -- with just enough space at the bottom for them to retreat from any danger. It has gone amazingly well.

Fr what it's worth, none of my chickens sleep in the nesting boxes. They like to sleep on a roosting pole. I put a couple of tobacco sticks a few inches from the ground for e chicks, and they line up like birds on a wire.

 

[mrlacewing]

Thanks so much for the advice. There's much to learn about chickens! I'll try putting a light in there and see how they like it.
Dana

 

[Jenny1]

As far as the light goes I was having issues with lights in there. (electical cords, extension cords, heat issues etc) So, I got a few of those little lights you just put along your walkway and they are solar powered. (they are about a buck now that they are on clearance. walgreens) I pulled the top part off and put them on top of the coop (where I had drilled a hole) they charge all day and give some light in the coop at night. They fade off after a while, but that is okay with me

 

[Melabella]

As far as the light goes I was having issues with lights in there. (electical cords, extension cords, heat issues etc) So, I got a few of those little lights you just put along your walkway and they are solar powered. (they are about a buck now that they are on clearance. walgreens) I pulled the top part off and put them on top of the coop (where I had drilled a hole) they charge all day and give some light in the coop at night. They fade off after a while, but that is okay with me

good idea!

 

[RonC]

The light I used in mine was a small night light that plugs in the wall I put on an extension cord so no heat and only a little light. Hung it from the ceiling so the chicks couldn't get to it. I like the idea of the solar light too but mine now have outgrown the light all together.