Sleeping in the Run

[jma6004]

I have had chickens for years but this is a new problem. I typically start my little ones off in a barn stall that is very secure for their protection. Once they are 10-12 weeks old, I move them to the main coop so they have more sunlight and ability to scratch and forage.

I simply moved my 14 birds to the run portion of the coop in the early morning so I could watch them all day. The water and food and are located in the run portion. I am in South Louisiana and it is very hot at this time of year. I have a fan running in the inside coop portion. I did put a few of the birds inside the coop so they knew it was there. It has three nesting boxes and three large roosting rods that all my previous flocks have used. These birds are going in as I see droppings inside (but not much) and not at night.

My problem is... three birds are sitting on the outside edge of the coop (but not inside). The other 11 birds are sleeping on top of each other in one corner of the coop. My question is, any suggestions on how to get them to go and roost and sleep inside the coop where the fan is going and it is cool and safer for them?

Thanks.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

One simple approach is to goo out at dusk and seedy them on the roost then shut the door. A few night of this will help them get the idea

 

[lazy gardener]

I have had chickens for years but this is a new problem. I typically start my little ones off in a barn stall that is very secure for their protection. Once they are 10-12 weeks old, I move them to the main coop so they have more sunlight and ability to scratch and forage.

I simply moved my 14 birds to the run portion of the coop in the early morning so I could watch them all day. The water and food and are located in the run portion. I am in South Louisiana and it is very hot at this time of year. I have a fan running in the inside coop portion. I did put a few of the birds inside the coop so they knew it was there. It has three nesting boxes and three large roosting rods that all my previous flocks have used. These birds are going in as I see droppings inside (but not much) and not at night.

My problem is... three birds are sitting on the outside edge of the coop (but not inside). The other 11 birds are sleeping on top of each other in one corner of the coop. My question is, any suggestions on how to get them to go and roost and sleep inside the coop where the fan is going and it is cool and safer for them?

Thanks.

I'm assuming that you mean that 3 of them are sleeping on the lip of the pop door, and the rest are pig piling in the run? Is the run predator proof? Skirt, walls of 1/2" hardware cloth, and roof or hdw. cloth covering entire run? If the run is not predator proof, IMO, your best recourse would be to manually put them all in the coop, and shut them in there every evening at dusk. You might help the process to go smoother by getting them acclimated to a can of scratch. My birds know what a shaker can of scratch means, and they will follow me to the ends of the earth for that scratch. Start offering a bit of scratch only in the evening, and toss it into the coop. I only use scratch to get my birds where I want them, when I want them there.

 

[aart]

One simple approach is to goo out at dusk and seedy them on the roost then shut the door. A few night of this will help them get the idea

Your new phone is giving me lots of chuckles
Agrees tho...I usually wait until after dark, they tend to stay put better than at dusk.

@jma6004 are the chicks the only birds, or are there older birds in the coop??

 

[jma6004]

I'm assuming that you mean that 3 of them are sleeping on the lip of the pop door, and the rest are pig piling in the run? Is the run predator proof? Skirt, walls of 1/2" hardware cloth, and roof or hdw. cloth covering entire run? If the run is not predator proof, IMO, your best recourse would be to manually put them all in the coop, and shut them in there every evening at dusk. You might help the process to go smoother by getting them acclimated to a can of scratch. My birds know what a shaker can of scratch means, and they will follow me to the ends of the earth for that scratch. Start offering a bit of scratch only in the evening, and toss it into the coop. I only use scratch to get my birds where I want them, when I want them there.

Your assessment is accurate. The entire run is completely predator proof. They are sleeping on the lip part. I will try to manually put them in and shut the door. I know they go in from time to time because I see droppings on the pine shavings inside, but they do not sleep there.

 

[jma6004]

Your new phone is giving me lots of chuckles
Agrees tho...I usually wait until after dark, they tend to stay put better than at dusk.

@jma6004 are the chicks the only birds, or are there older birds in the coop??

They are the only bird in there. In their old place (the barn stall) there were roosting rods that most of them typically slept on, so they know what they are and that they are safe, but for some reason, I think the thought of going inside is not registering.