Not going into coop at night

[ali_moran]

Hello All,

I am new to chickens and I have had my chickens now for 4 days. The first evening when I went and checked on them (around 9pm) one had gone into the coop (this is a totally enclosed chicken run with coop.)

and so I simply put the other two in the coop. Now, when I have checked on them the other 3 evenings, (around 8pm) they are not in their coop. So I just keep putting them in their coop on the roosting poles. How long will I have to do this?

Also, I noticed that my chickens don't come out of their coop until around 9 in the morning....lazy chickens?? or am I doing something wrong??

Thanks

 

[so lucky]

They look pretty young; I bet they will learn to go to roost by themselves soon. As far as staying in their coop till nine: do they have feed and water in the coop? No need to hurry out if they are comfy in there! Also,

 

[ali_moran]

Thanks!! Their food and water is actually under their coop and they are able to leave their coop and be in the run anytime they wish. I think they just like to sleep in like me

They were born in June, so they are young. Also, I am using the sand method...and I have to say I love it!!!! I just go out once a day with my handy dandy kitty litter scooper, and pick it all up and toss it into my compost pile. Super easy! Nothing sticks to my shoes, and no smell at all!

 

[SteveBaz]

Quote:
They must be watching TV and staying up past their bedtime LOL

funny JK It struck me as funny Hah!

Steve

 

[Capvin]

Until they learn to do it themselves it is a good idea to physically put them to bed in their coop. Eventually they will begin to do it themselves when it gets dark. It is not really necessary to put them on the roost as eventually they will do that themselves also. When chicks are young they sometimes like to huddle together and sleep like that. As they get older they will prefer the roost. As far as when they decide to leave the coop will vary. I leave my pop door open and they usually come out at first light but they also go back and forth quite a bit also.

 

[SteveBaz]

I have a bamboo stick 6' long that I only use to herd with. You see I love the birds to come around and obviously using the stick other than telling them where to go is different to them regarding them coming to me for handling love and petting. I for the very first 2 weeks used that to herd them into the run from running amuck to a specific place and then from the run to the coop. In less than a month they were going to the run because I put the treat there in the same place every day. I mashed the feed by soaking it with water and then by the end of the day they managed to make it to the mush feed and then made the run to coop into the sleeper all by themselves after that. Now I just go out and close the coop door nightly for their protection to the outside element specifically predators.

Good luck

Steve

 

[Chickapooh23]

Mine are going in about 8:30 but a couple of years ago I did have a group that would go in at dark. They were terrible. As they got older they did start going in at night. Mine are going in but they are sitting on the nesting boxes instead of roosting. I keep putting them over and I only have about 6-7 not roosting now. I put them on the roost and they jump back over onto the boxes. They will eventually get it. I have been doing it for a couple of weeks not everynight though, they are getting better.