My chickens won't go in their new coop :(

[PrincessTrudeia]

I live in Brentwood Bay on Vancouver Island and our winters here are mostly wet, with some frosty nights. But with climate change, we've been getting snow for maximum 2 weeks and temperatures maybe getting down to -10C. That would be very rare, but either way, I'm worried because I can't get my chickens to sleep in their coop. Over the summer they took to sleeping in the large tree in their coop, but the branches aren't very big around (1"?). Also, over covered most of the top of the run in poly, but I've left a third of it open (over the tree) to water and keep dust down. The run is predator proof with skirting.

So do I need to worry? Will they be smart enough to go in when they are cold? They stay out in the rain (although it has tree cover) and some nights have gone down to 2C already. They are missing laying every few days, is it because they are cold?

Not the best photos, but the coop has a door on it now.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sounds like they got used to sleeping outside and since you didn't force them to go inside, they've just continued sleeping outside. You can try to "give them the hint" by picking them up nightly and putting them inside on the roost, and hopefully they'll get the idea.

It's a little hard to see in the photo but is the window on the side of the coop open, or can be opened, or solid glass? If it doesn't open, how much other ventilation is in the coop?

As far as laying that's slowing down due to reduced hours of daylight, not because of the cold. Assuming they're still in their first year they may continue to lay at reduced rates through the winter. I've never had my chickens timed correctly to get eggs at all during winter, so I've started to save up during fall.

 

[aart]

Not the best photos, but the coop has a door on it now.

How about some new pics showing the roost in the coop?
How many birds do you have?
That coop look pretty small, what are the dimensions?

 

[dhopper122]

Put a light inside and turn it on. The light will draw them into the coop.

 

[PrincessTrudeia]

The coop is 3X4, I only have 3 hens. It's 4' tall by the roost. And the entire coop is just under 4 feet off the ground.

I've added more pictures of the coop, which still needs a roof, but has poly now.

My concern is, will the chickens go in on their own in the cold. I keep their food in there and they lay in their nesting box.

 

[aart]

Just the 3 birds?
Might want to lower the bottom roost to just above the nest,
and the upper one the same distance down,
small space to get up and down.

My concern is, will the chickens go in on their own in the cold.

Not if they are used to sleeping in the run....you might have to remove the run roosts, or lower them below the coop roosts heights. You might have to put them on the coop roosts for a few nights, or more, before they start a new habit.