Still having problems getting chicks back into coop at night

[mraenick]

My 8 week old girls have been in their outside coop for 1 1/2 weeks now. They still won't go from the pen into the coop at night. A friend here suggested we keep them in the coop for 2-3 days so they learn that's their home. I'm afraid they will be MISERABLE not getting let out to the pen in the morning. Help!! Have any of you had this experience?

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

Unfortunately, I think the best way would be to just keep them in the coop for a few days. Or at dusk you could feed them in the coop and they might come in. If you know where they are sleeping, you could just move them inside. I have a couple chickens that have decided that they want to sleep in my barn, just more space for the others I guess!

 

[jacyjones]

I think keeping them in is the best way to sort your problem. It should only take 2 or 3 days and then they will know their routine. We had some new chickens that would want to roost in a tree every evening and we had to pick them out of it and put the in the shed!! Ended up we had to clip their wings so they could not fly up the tree and we also kept them shut in. Good luck!

 

[mraenick]

Their feed is always kept in the coop. I have water both in the coop and outside. They are confined to a pen, so they have nowhere else to sleep! When it gets dark, they huddle in a corner of the pen together. When they see me or my husband, they "peep" at us to come get them. We place them in the coop and then give them treats.

 

[liz9910]

When my chickens were younger, I had a hard time getting them to go inside the coop at night to sleep too. I had to pick them up and put them inside until they got the hang of it. Good luck!

 

[MsBagawkbagawk]

huh, I think then the only way would be to keep them in for a few days. While they're in there be sure to give them lots of treats and lovins.

 

[ReikiStar]

We keep ours in for a solid week and we don't have any problems. The first two nights of being let out they need a little help finding it but after that...they go in on their own.

 

[mraenick]

Thanks for all your suggestions! I will try keeping them in for a couple of days (when the weather isn't so humid) and I'll let you know how it works. Thanks again!