- Mar 30, 2018
- 1,096
- 2,135
- 276
My chicks are 8, going on 9 weeks. They are in the coop outside. I let them out in a portable coop during the day if the weather is nice and I am home. They also have a run attached to their coop. The coop is elevated, and has a ladder going down into the run.
Two of them will go down the ladder. Two of them fly out of the door into the run. None of them will go back into the coop. The other day it started pouring rain and they just huddled miserably in the run until I ran out and put them in the coop.
I have tried putting a brick under the ladder so it isn't as steep, putting treats on the ladder going up, and physically placing them on the ladder halfway up. Nothing is working. I have to physically put them in the coop each night.
Any tips? Am I making it harder for them to learn by putting them in the portable run during the day? Should I just leave them in their coop run for a few days?
Two of them will go down the ladder. Two of them fly out of the door into the run. None of them will go back into the coop. The other day it started pouring rain and they just huddled miserably in the run until I ran out and put them in the coop.
I have tried putting a brick under the ladder so it isn't as steep, putting treats on the ladder going up, and physically placing them on the ladder halfway up. Nothing is working. I have to physically put them in the coop each night.
Any tips? Am I making it harder for them to learn by putting them in the portable run during the day? Should I just leave them in their coop run for a few days?
Hens go broody when you don’t want them to… and won’t go broody when you do. 