Some coop and some don't...?

[akcourtney]

Hi all - I have a brood of chickens that my husband and I are raising. The age range of the chickens are 10-18 weeks old. How come the older chickens go inside for the night, however the young'lings will stay all grouped together outside the coop and won't go in. Each night before we go to bed, my husband takes each chick and hand delivers them to the coop to be sure all are inside. Once they are in - they stay. I don't get it... help? Will they figure it out...?

 

[markb816]

How long have the new ones called the coop home?
Sometimes it takes a while for them to know where a new home is.
They are creatures of nature so if they consistently sleep in the same protected area every night, then sooner or later they will get in the routine and go in. It might just take a while of you manually putting them in. But be patient , it will come.
Try putting some treats in the coop.
Also, you are not putting them in the coop prematurely to roost are you? Not too early in the day.
Not all my hens go in at the same time. With mine its more of pecking order as far as who goes in the coop 1st and last.

 

[kenturb]

What is the entrance like for them? Are the younger ones having trouble figuring out how to get in?

When we first put our chicks in their new home it took them a number of days to figure out how to get in there. I had to set them on the board going into the coop a couple times each day to get them going in on their own.....they did figure it out after only a few days of this, so give the youngest ones some time to get it figured out. I think you are doing exactly what you should. Put them in at night....maybe go out 10 or 15 minutes later each night to give them a chance to try it on their own each night too.

 

[akcourtney]

Thank you -

There definitely is a pecking order - our 4 month old rooster finds his way, our silkie then the larger hens. We have about 25 total chickens - The temporary home has three large roosting boxes with a walking plank. I spend a lot of time with them - and have noticed that the young ones do know how to use the plank - I put treats up near the boxes to see if they are having troubles with the plank, but it doesn't seem to be the issue. The younger ones have been out of the 'nursery' environment for only a week- 10 days tops.

We'll keep doing what we are doing. . . see where it takes us.

Thanks again...