Not going in coop for food or at night

[Wintersun]

I searched and found a couple posts on this and a couple folks replied on going in the coop at night to an earlier question. I have an extension to the question. I have feed and water in the coop and water in the run. 5 week old chicks have access to coop all day. They do not seem to understand going in the coop - for anything.

Each time I walk in the run during the day they swamp me. If I give them food in my hand they act like they haven't eaten in days. At night, only 2 chicks are making their way into the coop (it's only the 3rd night so I have hope others will follow). Last night, they all bedded down in a corner. I went out at 9pm and they stayed calm and in place while I picked each one up and put them in the coop. I have 2 that hate being picked up and even they just stayed calm which was very odd.

Am I training them NOT to go in the coop by offering food when I go in the run and picking them up to put them in the coop at night? Should I just put feed in the run and not worry about it?

 

[flewdacoop]

mine do the same thing, but they do go in the coop to get water and food when they need it, but i still feed in the run so they get used to me putting food in there in the afternoon, that way when they start free ranging and see me in the afternoon they will run to the coop for their food..

 

[Cindy in PA]

Did you lock them in the coop for a few days before you left them out in the run? That seems to work.

 

[Jakoda]

I lure mine in at nite with a "treat",,whether it's a chunk of watermelon, a mix of mash (their crumble w/water which they LOVE), or a couple of worms.. They come a running and go right in, if I put them in before dark.

 

[Wintersun]

I did not lock them in the coop for a couple days because the temps here were in the 90s and I was afraid of overheating. That was my intention but I had visions of "fried chicken" if I did.

 

[ladyrsanti]

They need to know where home is and locking them in for a while is ideal but I understand the heat issue. If the ventilation is good though, it should be alright. My problem remains to be that they huddle on the floor in the corner at night too (still at 15 weeks old) and it's simply too hot for that kind of behavior, in my opinion. So I've been teaching them to use the roosts by physically picking them up after dark and putting them on the roosts. After about three days of this I have about half of them going there on their own. So they can be trained and you can try to put them in yourself and where you want them to be even. Just make sure it's dark because they might try to glean the very most out of daylight, especially if it's cooler outside. Mine won't come in until the last light of day with this heat.

Edited to add: I did not mean that you should lock them in, in this heat. Let them go in and out as they need to. They are like little thermostats, knowing where is coolest. But you can always reset their homing instincts when it cools. For now, move them if needed. This heat is too much to be locking them in.

 

[RonC]

I have neither food or water in the coop, in the run only.

I experienced the same thing when they first went out. First night everyone was gathered by the gate waiting to come in to the brooder. I just set them in the coop and closed the door. Second night I put two of them in the coop and rest rest followed.You're ahead of mine there, at least two of yours tried. By the third night them went in on their own. It won't take but a couple of days. Might try putting a small night light in the coop at least till they get used to going in on their own. If your weather is like mine I cannot recomend to lock them inside either. I think it would be baked chicken and not fried.

 

[ladyfeather]

I wish you all the best getting your chickens to understand the coop.

My 9 weekers will go in there during the day and if I put a food container in there but we have to chase them in every night. They would rather perch on the run fence but I think it is the height and setting sun. We'll try the light and changing their perches. We tried locking them in for a few days when it was much cooler but I think it is the darkness. (My ducks don't have that problem)

GL!