new coop..chickens don't want to use it

[chkva]

I guess I didn't explain well, what I put in was a ramp but it has wooden pieces screwed to it so it is like a ladder. I took the yellow camper ladder out as it was too big and bulky..I figured the chickens wouldn't be brave enough to hop up the steps and then hop right into the new coop. the ramp shouldn't be too steep, in my other coop I have the same type and it is steeper but my other birds do well with it. I think they are just nervous and new. hopefully they settle in soon plus I really don't know what kind of a set up they came from. they are production reds I ordered from the local feed store. they arrived in a crate and he just pulled them out and popped them into crate I brought. they might not be used to a coop at all..or even roosts

They probably just lived in a big area and slept on the floor... That's how a few of mine lived before I got them.

 

[wildwestcoast]

They probably just lived in a big area and slept on the floor... That's how a few of mine lived before I got them.

I did wonder. they must be in shock having their own little cottage to call home

 

[getaclue]

Don't sweat the ladder/ramp thing. I raise a heavy breed of large fowl. My roosts are not very high up, but I had to treat one of my big roosters for bumblefoot. I decided to put in a ramp for them to get on, and off the roosts easier. Keep in mind, these are fully grown birds, not youngsters.

For the first couple nights, they would not even go into the coop with the monster that was going to eat them. It was summer, the run is enclosed, so not a big deal. For 2 days, I would put each one on the monster that was going to eat them, and while holding them with my hands, walk them up, and down the ramp a couple times. On the third night, they decided that they might live if they ran real fast past the monster that would eat them, and jump up onto their roost. A couple more times, I put the rooster on the monster that would eat them, walking him up, and down the ramp. I figured the hens would probably follow him. For the rest of the week, they ran past the monster that would eat them, jumped up on their roost, and lived.

At that point, I didn't care if they used the ramp, or not. I stopped trying to coax them, or train them to use it. About 3 days later, when I went out to feed them, lo and behold the rooster walked up the ramp onto the roost, followed by a hen. They stood on the roost to watch me. The following day, they were all using the ramp.

 

[wildwestcoast]

Don't sweat the ladder/ramp thing. I raise a heavy breed of large fowl. My roosts are not very high up, but I had to treat one of my big roosters for bumblefoot. I decided to put in a ramp for them to get on, and off the roosts easier. Keep in mind, these are fully grown birds, not youngsters.

For the first couple nights, they would not even go into the coop with the monster that was going to eat them. It was summer, the run is enclosed, so not a big deal. For 2 days, I would put each one on the monster that was going to eat them, and while holding them with my hands, walk them up, and down the ramp a couple times. On the third night, they decided that they might live if they ran real fast past the monster that would eat them, and jump up onto their roost. A couple more times, I put the rooster on the monster that would eat them, walking him up, and down the ramp. I figured the hens would probably follow him. For the rest of the week, they ran past the monster that would eat them, jumped up on their roost, and lived.

At that point, I didn't care if they used the ramp, or not. I stopped trying to coax them, or train them to use it. About 3 days later, when I went out to feed them, lo and behold the rooster walked up the ramp onto the roost, followed by a hen. They stood on the roost to watch me. The following day, they were all using the ramp.

haha thanks for the chuckle! chickens are hilarious, sounds like they figure it out eventually!

 

[Criticalicious]

Chickens are funny about new things in their coop. They're scared to death of it, won't touch it, run screaming in terror... until they're not.

 

[Cryss]

Put them in tonight. Do not let them out for a few days to a week. Put food and water in with them in the morning, take it out at bedtime. The idea is they don't know where their home is. After they spend a week inside this will imprint them with the idea that this is their safe place. They will soon be going inside before it gets too dark.

 

[wildwestcoast]

GENIUS!! The light trick worked like a charm! Many thanks!!!

 

[Celticdragonfly]

For the first couple nights, they would not even go into the coop with the monster that was going to eat them. ....

That was a great story!

 

[wildwestcoast]

Success! Tonight was night 5 and I wasnt home to put the light on and when I came home it was pitch dark and all the girls were in the coop!! So I locked the door..but not before noticing they are all huddled on top of the nesting boxes and not using the perches since they aren't quite ready to lay (combs are pink etc) should I take the nesting boxes out for now? I just wonder if that would make them choose the perches. The perches are 2×3s flat side up and not high up. The low one is slightly lower than the top of the nesting box and the high one is a few inches higher. I am pretty sure the problem is the chickens not the roosts.

 

[getaclue]

I'd leave the nesting boxes. They start getting curious about them around POL (point of lay). By then, they'll be used to them being in there. Don't fret when they first start laying that they lay in the run, or somewhere other than the nest box. It takes a bit of time for them to get it all coordinated. Don't be surprised when they will only use 1 nest box, no matter how many you have in there. That's typical hen behavior.