My Coop

[RW1984]

I didn’t do anything fancy. I would manually collect them up and put them in the coop at dusk each night for a few days to a week. Then one night, all on their own they went in.

 

[Chookwagn]

i was lucky cos i had a couple of slightly older chicks that were already roosting so they showed the newbies what to do

 

[feather13]

Thank you! I was so blessed to even get this coop. I am excited about this new adventure. We worked hard on predator proofing the coop. I have 6 chicks. And they all have such different personalities.

Chickens are really fun pets! Welcome to the club When we started raising them, I was so surprised they all had different personalities and that they are such sensitive, funny, smart creatures.

I also just want to underscore what @piminuse said about predator proofing. I don't know where you live, but we put rocks or bricks around the base of our prefab coop to keep out the opossums, raccoons, dogs, and cats that are the predators where we are. We let our adult chickens free range during the day, even when we're not home, but have to be very careful about locking them up in their coop and run in the late afternoon/evening. Every single time I've been late or forgotten something bad happens. I don't know if you plan on letting yours free range later, but predators are a constant problem.

Hope you have a great trip and fun with your chicks!

 

[Krystal754]

I currently have 9 week olds. We left them for a night but they put themselves to bed by themselves. See if you can train them before you leave. The way I did it is once it starts to get dark I go out with a flashlight, shine it in to the coop, and tap onthe ramp while calling them. They figured it out in 2days.

I got some treats so I am going to try and tease them tonight.

 

[Krystal754]

Y’all this afternoon I put a couple of treats in the door of the henhouse and on a couple of the steps. When it got dark I went to put my chicks in the their house and to my amazement they already were in there. I was so shocked and overjoyed.

 

[Chookwagn]

Y’all this afternoon I put a couple of treats in the door of the henhouse and on a couple of the steps. When it got dark I went to put my chicks in the their house and to my amazement they already were in there. I was so shocked and overjoyed.

Nice! They should get the idea from now on

 

[Vickischics]

I locked my two 15 week old Polish in their new coop for a day and night.
This morning, I put down the door and tapped the ramp. They walked down. Then at dusk, I went to show them how to go back in, and they were inside bedded down.
One on the roost and one in the corner. So, I picked her up to the roost and she snuggled next to her BFF.
Thats when I check their crop and feet. I check their crop every evening when I lock them up.
Then, again in the morning.
You have a nice coop and run.
Good for you!!
Good for your chickens.
If your worried while your gone, make a little hide out for them.

 

[Broxi]

I have that same coop that I got from Tractor Supply on clearance. It worked pretty well for the year that I used it for 4 hens. I currently have 3 easter eggers and 1 barred rock. They free range during the day. When I went on vacation for a long weekend once I came home to two out of three EE had rubbed off their beard feathers on the wire mesh from pacing trying to find a way out. It was truly barely big enough for them. I was finally able to get my Taj Ma Coop built this spring/early summer and they are FINALLY growing those feathers back. My personal opinion is that 6 full size birds are going to be very cramped in that coop when they grow up. If you feed them in the run section, I would put up a tarp or something to keep rain from blowing on the food. I had it happen a number of times here in NC. But, for now, I'm sure they will be fine to leave them for a long weekend as long as it's predator proofed.
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[Adam B]

I’ve been using a red light plugged in since their first night . Now I go out and turn it on about 30 min before dark . And when I go out at night they are already in the coop

 

[Krystal754]

I have that same coop that I got from Tractor Supply on clearance. It worked pretty well for the year that I used it for 4 hens. I currently have 3 easter eggers and 1 barred rock. They free range during the day. When I went on vacation for a long weekend once I came home to two out of three EE had rubbed off their beard feathers on the wire mesh from pacing trying to find a way out. It was truly barely big enough for them. I was finally able to get my Taj Ma Coop built this spring/early summer and they are FINALLY growing those feathers back. My personal opinion is that 6 full size birds are going to be very cramped in that coop when they grow up. If you feed them in the run section, I would put up a tarp or something to keep rain from blowing on the food. I had it happen a number of times here in NC. But, for now, I'm sure they will be fine to leave them for a long weekend as long as it's predator proofed.
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I’m planning on building a bigger one this spring. Right now I haven’t had any issue. They seem really happy. I do have the food in the run and it just started raining here today. I have a secured tarp over the run now. We worked hard to predator proof the coop and enforcing the coop with 2x4’s.
I’m just so happy that it’s night two that they all went into the henhouse on their own.