Staying in the run?

[gmickey2001]

We moved our chickens out of the brooder and into the coop on Saturday. I left them locked in the coop for three nights as I read this gets them used to their new home base.

We let them out into the run on Tuesday. Just after dark on Tuesday we went out to make sure they were in the coop and to close them in for the night. We found them all in one corner of the run in a giant ball of chicken (8 of them). They seemed half awake and we moved them into the coop, they barely noticed we were handling them.

Wednesday we watched as they moved between the coop and the run all day. Clearly they know how to get back into the coop. But come nightfall we found a ball of chickens sleeping in another corner of the run.

Will they spontaneosly start going into the coop at night or is there something we need to do to "teach" them that they need to go inside at night?

I also have not seen any of them on the roosting perches I put in the coop but they are about 2 feet off the floor so maybe too high till they're bigger? They are 6 to 7 weeks now.

Your help is much appreciated.

Greg

 

[cary 1973]

mine are areound 4 to 5 weeks they moved to the coop this week and during the day i find them roosting on the bar but at night still curled up with each other so i think time will come rosting. i cant say anything about going in at night as im not there yet.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Go figure, I have the same issue with 'store bought ' chicks, the broody hen seems to teach them how and when to go to bed. I started feeding mine in the area I want them to roost, and keep gathering them up and locking them in. At that age they will want to pile in together and chicks naturally roost on the ground, they will start to climb higher as they age.
One night I found mine lined up on the top of pen netting and under the tarp...they just don't get it, then they want to hang out the door and star gaze...I'm considering scare tactics next, they have no problem going up the ramp, or over the fence for that matter, or on top of the coop.
Good luck just keep stuffing them in.
Last year I had six that wanted to keep roosting in a tree, I had caught Moe only and locked her in the coop. An owl took one out of that tree that night and the rest came screaming down the hill, I caught all but one then and put them in the coop, next night all five remaining were in the coop on their roost before the sun went down......
Yours might need to be locked in for a few more nights before they rehome, I did try that...but it didn't work. The day I find them already inside will be a happy one.

 

[urban escapee]

I had this experience as well. but mine started going in on their own after a week of us moving them into the coop.

 

[highpointfarm]

Chickens dont sleep on a roost till 3 months or so, What works best for me, Is if for 1 week I turn a light on in the coop, 1 hour before dark... they automatically go into the coop, after 1 week, Turn off the light and see if they dont go up by themselves... If they dont (they should) but if they dont, do it for 2 more days....

 

[RonC]

Mine took a couple of days to learn to go in the coop at night. Did like you and had to put them in but they caught on quick. As for the roost it depends on the temperature where they sleep now. If it's below about 65 degrees they will sleep on the floor in a pile. If it's warmer they go to the roost. They are 10 weeks old now and have been sleeping on the roost for about a month now on and off.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Tonight three out of six were in the main coop, on a roost. I put the other three inside and made sure they can join their flockmates...yahoo,they are about six weeks old.

 

[gmickey2001]

Thanks for all your replies. Ours started to go inside by themselves a few days ago. As of today, there is some poop on the roosting perches. There's only one way for that to happen. LOL! I guess like anything, when you are a newbie you worry about every little thing. Sometimes it just takes patience I guess.

BTW I just put some pictures of our coop and run up in the coop section if you're interested.

 

[Lynzi777]

Mine took about a week to go into the coop on their own. They did the same you are describing with sleeping in the corner of the run at night. I would have to move them into the coop as well. They'll eventually get it. Mine just started going into the coop this past week, all I have to do now is close the door at night to make sure they don't come out or make sure nothing gets into the coop. I opened the side panel of the coop one night and they were all sleeping in the corner of the coop like they used to in the corner of the run.