New Chickens...and I have quite a few questions.

[Dee5385]

Ok, so as I've mentioned I'm new to this whole chicken thing. I've had chickens for about a week now. (Grown, not sure what age but not little) I'm not sure if the hens came from a place that had a coop or maybe just a building of some kind. So I don't know if they know how to get back in the coop. It's getting pretty cold this week so I don't want them to get too cold; and I keep the food inside so it stays dry. Should I worry about them being outside the coop and not being able to find their way back in?

 

[One Chick Two]

Is the coop within a covered or uncovered pen, or are they freeranging? Is their situation safe from night predators such as skunks, raccoons, owls, etc.? What have your evening temps been? Have your hens been returning to your coop during the day to lay their eggs?

Our main flock has supervised freeranging times. With a large flock (even being supervised) sometimes unexpected things still can happen when you have areas that predators can hide. I count our chickens every night with a flashlight. We make sure they are all accounted for, and secured inside the coop each evening... even though our area is not that cold at night, predators are an issue.

If the count is off, we search for chickens who possibly wandered off during freeranging time, or somehow became hurt, ill or injured, or killed by predators.

 

[Dee5385]

Is the coop within a covered or uncovered pen, or are they freeranging? Is their situation safe from night predators such as skunks, raccoons, owls, etc.? What have your evening temps been? Have your hens been returning to your coop during the day to lay their eggs?

Our main flock has supervised freeranging times. With a large flock (even being supervised) sometimes unexpected things still can happen when you have areas that predators can hide. I count our chickens every night with a flashlight. We make sure they are all accounted for, and secured inside the coop each evening... even though our area is not that cold at night, predators are an issue.

If the count is off, we search for chickens who possibly wandered off during freeranging time, or somehow became hurt, ill or injured, or killed by predators.

The run is covered and protected from predators. The temps tonight are going to get down around 3 degrees. The hens aren't laying eggs yet so I don't know if they are returning to the coop. I only have 4 hens so it's easy to keep count. One of the hens (my black one) went out into the run the other night and didn't go back in on her own and I physically put her back in the coop and as soon as I did she went right for the food. I just don't know what to do....should I let them be? Will they make their way back when they want?

 

[Mtn Laurel]

The run is covered and protected from predators. The temps tonight are going to get down around 3 degrees. The hens aren't laying eggs yet so I don't know if they are returning to the coop. I only have 4 hens so it's easy to keep count. One of the hens (my black one) went out into the run the other night and didn't go back in on her own and I physically put her back in the coop and as soon as I did she went right for the food. I just don't know what to do....should I let them be? Will they make their way back when they want?

Sounds to me like they need to be "coop trained" so they know where to go at night. Lock them in the coop anywhere from 3 days to a week, if necessary. Keep them in there 24/7 with food and water. That teaches them that the coop is "home base" and they will then return to it at sundown.

I coop trained my girls for 4 days when we moved them into a new coop last year and they didn't have any problem. They didn't try to go back to the old coop and were on the roost at sundown every evening.

 

[One Chick Two]

Sounds to me like they need to be "coop trained" so they know where to go at night. Lock them in the coop anywhere from 3 days to a week, if necessary. Keep them in there 24/7 with food and water. That teaches them that the coop is "home base" and they will then return to it at sundown.

I coop trained my girls for 4 days when we moved them into a new coop last year and they didn't have any problem. They didn't try to go back to the old coop and were on the roost at sundown every evening.

X2 Good advice.

We also do this with all of our chickens who are new to an unfamiliar coop. Especially for the juveniles fresh out of the brooder, but not yet ready to be in with the main flock.