Second batch of chicks will NOT learn how to coop up. UGH

[thistlewick]

The last 2 nights they cooped up and I thought, WHEW, they learned (it's been a week of teaching them, or more) and tonight, NOPE, those little bozos were all by the door of their tractor in a pile. I cannot leave them out, it isn't safe (floor of the tractor is just grass)

My older girls learned in 2 days and never had a problem again -- they are learning at the SAME age, this second batch is just... dumber :/

Treats do *nothing* to lure them in the coop. They either decide to go in, or we have to wave a stick at them to make them go in. I HATE WAVING A STICK AT THEM. I feel AWFUL.

What is the longest your chicks took to learn to coop up?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Are they sharing the coop with the older ones?

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

The last 2 nights they cooped up and I thought, WHEW, they learned (it's been a week of teaching them, or more) and tonight, NOPE, those little bozos were all by the door of their tractor in a pile. I cannot leave them out, it isn't safe (floor of the tractor is just grass)

My older girls learned in 2 days and never had a problem again -- they are learning at the SAME age, this second batch is just... dumber :/

Treats do *nothing* to lure them in the coop. They either decide to go in, or we have to wave a stick at them to make them go in. I HATE WAVING A STICK AT THEM. I feel AWFUL.

What is the longest your chicks took to learn to coop up?

Some if mine never learned if i didn't teach them, what I do to teach them if put them in and lock them in every night for 2 weeks or so and they tend to catch on

 

[thistlewick]

Are they sharing the coop with the older ones?

No, they have their own tractor. They integrate in the daytime during free-range. The older girls are SO GOOD and go to bed about 15 minutes before sundown, like a CLOCK. They ignore the babies when they go to bed in their coop.

 

[thistlewick]

Some if mine never learned if i didn't teach them, what I do to teach them if put them in and lock them in every night for 2 weeks or so and they tend to catch on

Oooh yes we've been locking them in every night and it's probably been about 1 week, maybe 8-9 days.

I'll just keep doing it but DANG my first batch of girls spoiled me!

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

Oooh yes we've been locking them in every night and it's probably been about 1 week, maybe 8-9 days.

I'll just keep doing it but DANG my first batch of girls spoiled me!

Yeah some are smarter then others lol, I have a very secure run so some if my roost out in the run still because I never taught them they are a year old already

 

[thistlewick]

Yeah some are smarter then others lol, I have a very secure run so some if my roost out in the run still because I never taught them they are a year old already

I mean, if their tractor was secure, I'd let them -- but this small tractor I use for them when they are small is not secure so I cannot let them sleep in the run part overnight.

Now, the BIG GIRL tractors, THOSE are safe. They could sleep where they wanted. But they are too small for the big girl tractor.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

I mean, if their tractor was secure, I'd let them -- but this small tractor I use for them when they are small is not secure so I cannot let them sleep in the run part overnight.

Now, the BIG GIRL tractors, THOSE are safe. They could sleep where they wanted. But they are too small for the big girl tractor.

Yeah I understand that, gotta keep the babies safe!

 

[thistlewick]

Yeah I understand that, gotta keep the babies safe!

We JUST picked up their big girl coop; this is a smaller version of the giant (holy crap so big we can barely move it) tractor and we got it painted the same so they matched:

This is the big girls checking it out:

But I am thinking that even though this one is safer than fort knox for overnight, they are too small for it.

Even though this one matches the big girl's coop exactly in color, they looked at it, and that was it. They knew which coop was home and went right to bed in their OG coop, this one was only a few feet away from it.

 

[Pampered chicken girl]

We JUST picked up their big girl coop; this is a smaller version of the giant (holy crap so big we can barely move it) tractor and we got it painted the same so they matched:

This is the big girls checking it out:

View attachment 3896043

But I am thinking that even though this one is safer than fort knox for overnight, they are too small for it.

Even though this one matches the big girl's coop exactly in color, they looked at it, and that was it. They knew which coop was home and went right to bed in their OG coop, this one was only a few feet away from it.

If they can get in the coop they shouldn't be too small, the size really doesn't matter as long as it's at least large enough for them.