My chickens won’t willingly go into their coop at night.

[tizabel_]

Hello! I have 7 English Orpingtons that are about 10 weeks. Ever since I’ve put them outside, I’ve had to physically put them in their coop during the night to roost. We want to leave on a 2 day camping trip so they’ll be alone. I was going to find someone to be a temporary “chicken sitter” but my parents can’t find anyone who’s up for the job. Is there any way that we could teach them to go up there by themselves? The one time I forgot to close them in for the night, I found them huddled up in the grass, they were shivering and their feathers were wet with dew. I don’t want that to happen again! It still gets pretty cold during the nights so we have a heat lamp in their coop, they have two roosts and water during the night. It’s plenty of room for all of them and it’s ventilated enough for it to not be stuffy but not so much that wind can get through. So why won’t they go in there willingly? It would be amazing if we could train them to go up there by themselves when we’re gone but we are hoping to leave today or tomorrow so I know that it’s highly unlikely with the time that we have. Any advice is greatly appreciated!! Thank you!

 

[Mrs. K]

You might turn the heat lamp off. Not sure where you are, but at 10 weeks, they no longer need it, even if it is getting down to -10 degrees at night. At ten weeks, they are good to go, and it might be too warm in there.

Do you have a ramp up to your coop? Sometimes that is the problem. Instead of a ramp, could you set up a platform, or maybe even two platforms, one a foot or two off the ground, and then another half way to the coop? I have had better luck with that, than with a walk up ramp.

Mrs K

 

[Studabird]

Did you start off keeping them in the coop for a few days straight? I have read that is how they learn what home is. I am also new to chickens but that is my plan when I am finished with my coop and they are going to be out of the brooder full time

 

[Punkybrewster]

Ramps can be a challenge. Several times a day walk them up and let them come down. That usually helps. Try keeping the food and water in the coop while youre training them so they have a reason to go up in.

 

[Punkybrewster]

If youre going away, keep them in the coop if theres enough room and it wont over heat.

 

[tizabel_]

You might turn the heat lamp off. Not sure where you are, but at 10 weeks, they no longer need it, even if it is getting down to -10 degrees at night. At ten weeks, they are good to go, and it might be too warm in there.

Do you have a ramp up to your coop? Sometimes that is the problem. Instead of a ramp, could you set up a platform, or maybe even two platforms, one a foot or two off the ground, and then another half way to the coop? I have had better luck with that, than with a walk up ramp.

Mrs K

Thanks for the advice! I have a chicken ladder going up to the coop. They don’t seem to have any problems going on it, sometimes they walk on it during the day. I would have used a platform but me and my dad made the coop ourselves and it’s pretty funky, it’s about 3-4 feet off the ground

 

[tizabel_]

Did you start off keeping them in the coop for a few days straight? I have read that is how they learn what home is. I am also new to chickens but that is my plan when I am finished with my coop and they are going to be out of the brooder full time

I kept them in the coop for 3 days before letting them out

 

[tizabel_]

Ramps can be a challenge. Several times a day walk them up and let them come down. That usually helps. Try keeping the food and water in the coop while youre training them so they have a reason to go up in.

They don’t seem to have a problem with going up the ramp, a couple of them walk up and down during the day. Keeping the food and water up there is a good idea, thanks!

 

[tizabel_]

If youre going away, keep them in the coop if theres enough room and it wont over heat.

I didn’t even think of that!
I just worry that they won’t be happy, it’s the minimum size requirement for 7 chickens so it would be fine for the nights but i fear that spending 2 days in there would get pretty cramped. Especially considering that they are used to having the whole run during the day, it would be quite the downgrade.
But since we can’t get a chicken sitter, that might be the only option. Thanks!

 

[Punkybrewster]

Take the heat lamp out. They are too old for it.