My chicks are sleeping OUTSIDE the coop.

[chelsey21211]

My chicks have been in their coop/run for a week now. I still have a heat lamp on them at night and have been locking themm in the coop at night blocking their chicken door with burlap because the nights have been kinda cool. Well today was beautiful and tonight its very mild out..I just realized that I hadnt gone out to coop them up and turn on their light when I got out there they were sleeping in the run. I turned on the light and put them to bed...My question is do I need to lock them in the coop at night and is it bad if they want to sleep in the run???? Also their coop and run is Extremely safe, covered with hard ware cloth and.guarded by 2 chickin loving pit bulls contained in a hot wired fened in yard

 

[Judy]

They may have preferred the outside temperature over the indoor heat. I don't see any reason to try to force them in the coop if the run is also secure. You may find they won't stay in the coop during the summer if outdoors is at all cooler, or even if it just has more breeze.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

i agree. The purpose of locking your chickens in the coop is to keep them safe from predators. But if you are certain your pen is predator safe, then it should be fine for them to sleep there. And sounds like they may not need that heat lamp anymore. If they are fully feathered, i would take that down.

 

[chelsey21211]

Thanks yall!

 

[Boilerja]

That is a good question. Mine have been in the coop/run for a week now. It was getting cold and is supposed to be in the 40s this weekend. I have not seen them up in the coop at all...worried that either they can't get up ramp to coop or they are not aware that it is warmer in the coop with the heat lamp. I still feel like I should put them in the coop at night. Last night I put them in and they went straight to the heat lamp. Slept there most of the night and didn't come out this morning until heat lamp went off, which to me suggests that they need the heat.

 

[PSJ]

That is a good question. Mine have been in the coop/run for a week now. It was getting cold and is supposed to be in the 40s this weekend. I have not seen them up in the coop at all...worried that either they can't get up ramp to coop or they are not aware that it is warmer in the coop with the heat lamp. I still feel like I should put them in the coop at night. Last night I put them in and they went straight to the heat lamp. Slept there most of the night and didn't come out this morning until heat lamp went off, which to me suggests that they need the heat.

How old are they?

 

[PSJ]

i agree. The purpose of locking your chickens in the coop is to keep them safe from predators. But if you are certain your pen is predator safe, then it should be fine for them to sleep there. And sounds like they may not need that heat lamp anymore. If they are fully feathered, i would take that down.

I agree. They may be sleeping out there because the heat lamp is too much. If they are fully feathered,they should be fine without it. Chickens body temp runs 100-103 degrees.

 

[Boilerja]

I bought the pullets a month ago