This is our second go around with raising chickens as pets and accepting their eggs as gifts. The first time every thing went well with the exception of we spoiled all six of them. We let them have full run of the back yard. They ate the garden, all the grass pooped all over the patio. After we had enough we tried keeping them in an area where they could go into the coop and an area enclosed with hardware cloth about 10x15x 8 tall with roosts plus there coop 4x8 with nesting boxes. When kept in the coop run the chickens didn't like it one bit and let us know by making all kinds of noise. When we opened the door to feed,water and or clean somebody always seemed to get out then the chase was on or we would just open the door and close it up after dark when they went in the coop.
They became more of a nuisance than pleasure, we found them a new home with a friend that was happy to take them. I built a new coop in his back yard they adjusted to the change well, stopped laying for 1or 2 days then business as usual.
Fast forward a few years, we have a coop and a run we decide to get new day old chicks same as before but only 4 not 6 and never let them out of there area they will be happy not knowing any different that where they live.
So 4 chicks in the garage big box light food water about 8 weeks feathers now put them in the coop, light of timer for some heat at night, the light comes on after dark. The chicks will not go into the coop at night. After dark I find them bundled together in the run. I pick them up put them in the coop and same thing next. Also some times during the day they will go into the coop for food-water.
So my question How do we get them to go in the coop at night?
They became more of a nuisance than pleasure, we found them a new home with a friend that was happy to take them. I built a new coop in his back yard they adjusted to the change well, stopped laying for 1or 2 days then business as usual.
Fast forward a few years, we have a coop and a run we decide to get new day old chicks same as before but only 4 not 6 and never let them out of there area they will be happy not knowing any different that where they live.
So 4 chicks in the garage big box light food water about 8 weeks feathers now put them in the coop, light of timer for some heat at night, the light comes on after dark. The chicks will not go into the coop at night. After dark I find them bundled together in the run. I pick them up put them in the coop and same thing next. Also some times during the day they will go into the coop for food-water.
So my question How do we get them to go in the coop at night?
