Run Story/Question

[zDoc]

Yesterday late afternoon/evening I'm working on the run for my 4.5 week old chicks and I decided to go ahead and let them out into run, since I'm there to watch them anyway. So they came out and they are all scratching around finding things and just loving it out there. Well the sun is going down and it's a little cool and breezy they start huddling together. So I'm thinking I need to get these girls back in the coop. They wouldn't budge

I kept nudging them along til I get them to the short ramp to the door. They still won't go in, I had to physically pick each one up and put them in the door! I'm just wondering, do you think they didn't know their way back in, or were they just having to much fun outside?

 

[bockbock2008]

I don't think its that they didn't WANT to go in. I think its more that they didn't know how to or that they were supposed to go in.

 

[gryeyes]

Yeah, they don't know what they're supposed to do, yet.

When you put them out full time, lock them in the coop for a full week. That imprints them with the "this is home" and "this is safety" so when you let them out, they'll go back in again on their own. Usually. You may have one or two stragglers, but they'll get it soon enough after that.

 

[zDoc]

Last night as the sun went down they all scurried off

to the coop all on their own. Good girls.