Need advice on coop transition

[Goldenlaced_keeper]

Hey guys this question is in another thread but it's buried behind a lot of others and I need help here so I'm posting a fresh one for this problem specifically. I moved my 5 week old chicks out to the coop yesterday. They are feathered fully and we're responding great. We'll it was a low of 49 last night and I was worried because they weren't going up to the top roosting spot. (See pictures) so I grabbed each one and put it up there and closed the door to try and teach them. My plan was to leave them for the night up top and let them out in the morning and hopefully they would catch on. Well when I checked on them it was quite a sight. They were walking on eachother rolling around almost pushing on the door to get out. It was like they were scared of the roost. But it's plenty spacious and there was food and water and roosting poles and bedding. They huddled in a scared ball at the door. But they were not cold because they were warm to the touch and it was plenty warm up there. What do I do. Do I just leave them out even if they don't go up top and let them sleep on the bottom level and trust they will be fine and go up when they want. You can see the coop design in the photo.

 

[DobieLover]

But it's plenty spacious

That coop is not spacious. It is way too small for 5 chickens. Especially when they grow up.

They huddled in a scared ball at the door.

This is normal. They don't have an adult chicken to teach them how to roost. They'll figure it out eventually. But those little coops don't have a real roost just a bar above the bedding. Eventually they'll get it.

I would not keep food and water up in the top of that tiny little coop. Put it in the bottom open area. Try not to physically place them up in the coop area but rather lure them up with a trail of mealworms or something on the ramp. It takes some time to train them.

You might want to start looking for larger accommodations for your birds. They're going to outgrow that.

 

[DonyaQuick]

Do I just leave them out even if they don't go up top and let them sleep on the bottom level and trust they will be fine and go up when they want.

I use a remote-controlled, battery-powered LED to train chickens to go into the coop at night. This is the one I have and it has lasted quite a good while:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B085VLN6L3/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1
They will go to the light when it gets dark outside. Then you can turn it off from a distance, check for anybody who didn't go in with a flashlight and put them in manually, and close the door. Eventually they just get in the habit and go in when it gets dark regardless of whether the light is on.

 

[Goldenlaced_keeper]

That coop is not spacious. It is way too small for 5 chickens. Especially when they grow up.

This is normal. They don't have an adult chicken to teach them how to roost. They'll figure it out eventually. But those little coops don't have a real roost just a bar above the bedding. Eventually they'll get it.

I would not keep food and water up in the top of that tiny little coop. Put it in the bottom open area. Try not to physically place them up in the coop area but rather lure them up with a trail of mealworms or something on the ramp. It takes some time to train them.

You might want to start looking for larger accommodations for your birds. They're going to outgrow that.

That coop is not spacious. It is way too small for 5 chickens. Especially when they grow up.

This is normal. They don't have an adult chicken to teach them how to roost. They'll figure it out eventually. But those little coops don't have a real roost just a bar above the bedding. Eventually they'll get it.

I would not keep food and water up in the top of that tiny little coop. Put it in the bottom open area. Try not to physically place them up in the coop area but rather lure them up with a trail of mealworms or something on the ramp. It takes some time to train them.

You might want to start looking for larger accommodations for your birds. They're going to outgrow that.

Oh I forgot to mention I'm only keeping 3 of the 5 I'm brooding two for my brother who lost one to a mountain lion. However we already have a roofed run from omelet coming. But I believe I will keep the coop for the 3 unless you think it's still too small

 

[EggSighted4Life]

What do I do. Do I just leave them out even if they don't go up top and let them sleep on the bottom level and trust they will be fine and go up when they want.

Do the same thing (put them up) every dusk until they get the hint.. it usually only takes a couple of days to a week.

I agree.. bare minimum.. that coop needs adjustments.. as they mature.. like regular size roost bar far enough away to not be pooping in the lay box when using it.. that coop is not technically even big enough for two full size chickens. Two bantams, maybe.

The general rule of thumb for HOME keepers is 4 square foot per bird inside the coop and 10 sq ft. run.. not accounting for weather, husbandry, broodiness, roosters, or other issues that may arise.

Speaking of roosters.. what are your babies anyways? Barred Rock, Gold laced Polish, and ?? Which ones are you keeping? Can we see other angles of the barred one?

But I believe I will keep the coop for the 3 unless you think it's still too small

Roost should be a 2x3 or preferably a 2x4 with the wide side facing up and they need at least a foot of linear roost each.

 

[Goldenlaced_keeper]

Do the same thing (put them up) every dusk until they get the hint.. it usually only takes a couple of days to a week.

I agree.. bare minimum.. that coop needs adjustments.. as they mature.. like regular size roost bar far enough away to not be pooping in the lay box when using it.. that coop is not technically even big enough for two full size chickens. Two bantams, maybe.

The general rule of thumb for HOME keepers is 4 square foot per bird inside the coop and 10 sq ft. run.. not accounting for weather, husbandry, broodiness, roosters, or other issues that may arise.

Speaking of roosters.. what are your babies anyways? Barred Rock, Gold laced Polish, and ?? Which ones are you keeping? Can we see other angles of the barred one?


Roost should be a 2x3 or preferably a 2x4 with the wide side facing up and they need at least a foot of linear roost each.

Well looks like I'll be buying a new coop as well. Thank you all for the advice. So should I shut the door behind them at night and basically coax them into the top level at night then lock them in and just let them deal with it even if they get scared because seriously they were really freaked out the first night. I brought them in tonight too until I feel comfortable with them out there. I'm worried they will just sleep out on the bottom level all night unless I force them into the top. Here's all 5. 1 barred rock hen. 2 welsummer hens. And 2 golden laced polish straight run. And thoughts on gender.

Also as to the egg box it's a whole other section away from the two roosting bars. So I guess that upstairs level can be considered two areas an area with 2 bars across it and another with a flat area for laying.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Also as to the egg box it's a whole other section away from the two roosting bars. So I guess that upstairs level can be considered two areas an area with 2 bars across it and another with a flat area for laying.

Nest boxes do NOT count as usable floor space when calculating how much room you have for chickens, as the birds should not be in there for anything other than laying. So your usable coop space is the coop minus the nest boxes, unless nest boxes are elevated high enough that the birds can use the space under them (which is not the case here).

 

[Goldenlaced_keeper]

Nest boxes do NOT count as usable floor space when calculating how much room you have for chickens, as the birds should not be in there for anything other than laying. So your usable coop space is the coop minus the nest boxes, unless nest boxes are elevated high enough that the birds can use the space under them (which is not the case here).

Okay final question, should they be sleeping up there every night? Or is it okay if they stay out over night. Thank you all for these the help

 

[DobieLover]

Okay final question, should they be sleeping up there every night? Or is it okay if they stay out over night. Thank you all for these the help

They can sleep wherever they are safe from predators.
Unfortunately, that tiny coop is not predator proof. Unless it is wrapped up in hot wires, it can't really be made predator proof.

Those coops are so flimsy and lightweight because of the cheap wood that is used to make them that it doesn't take much at all to just flip them right over.

You can at a minimum install a predator apron around it and pin that to the ground to slow down a predator but the whole structure is going to degrade in a year or two depending on your climate. These coops are meant to lure new chicken owners who do not know what a proper coop should be. You are not their first victim nor will you be the last.

 

[K0k0shka]

I agree with the others, that coop is no good for any number of chickens. It's what manufacturers sell to make money because it looks cute, it's conveniently small, and cheap-priced, so it's easier to sell than a real coop. It's a common trap newbies fall into, and come to regret later. Start looking for a real coop now, at least 4 square feet per bird, but give yourself leeway in case you want to add more chickens later. Very few people start with 3 and stay with 3, without adding any more... Chickens are cute! When you get the real coop, no matter what age the chicks are at the time, lock them in it and keep them in it for about a week. Don't let them out into the run. That's the general strategy for transitioning chicks out to a coop (if you don't already have a flock), but is impractical in your current setup because the coop is so tiny. It will "home" them to the coop. They'll get familiar and attached to the space, and it will feel like home, like shelter, like protection to them. So when they go outside, they'll want to come back inside for protection and to sleep (though they'll still need help figuring out when/how to go inside for bed). This homing stage is important, and very effective. It's funny to observe how it works for other structures, too. For example, I brood chicks in the house often, and when I take them out for field trips to the yard, I bring them out in a small dog carrier. At first they are terrified of being in it. But over time, they get used to the carrier so much that it becomes their safe place when being somewhere even scarier, like the back yard. So while they are happy to explore the grass and run around, when a truck thunders by or a dog barks, they all shoot themselves back into the carrier! So that's how you want your chicks to feel about the coop - that it's their safe space, their shelter, to head into when scared, when it's raining, when it's getting late and time for bed. If you introduce both the coop and the run at the same time, neither will be more familiar or comforting to them, so they won't prefer the coop for protection or sleep. Chickens don't have an instinct to go into an enclosed space for protection, like burrowing animals would. They have an instinct to go high, up in the trees, both to sleep and for protection. So if they don't have the familiarity and habit of the coop, they'll want to stay outside to sleep, perched on the highest thing they can reach - or huddled in a corner on the ground until they learn to go high and roost.