"Teenagers" won't go roost at night?

[HoneysuckleHomestead]

I have a group of 8 "teenagers" as I call them (about 15 weeks/4 months old), includes 4 polish and 4 ameraucanas. They were moved from the brooder to their newly-built coop about a month ago, and I think we may have messed up.

Both of our coops are set up to have an indoor coop box with a run underneath. (picture below) Our 'general population' group were started inside the coop box and they quickly learned how use the ladder to get down into the run and back up into the box at night to roost.

These new teenagers, however, we started in the run, and they are not even concerned with going up the ladder into the coop box. I've caught a few jumping up the ladder, entering the box, and not staying long before they jump back down, but they won't stay. At night, they all cuddle up in a big group in the corner of the bottom run.

A few days ago right before dusk, I tried to grab a few and put them up in the box. I was only able to catch 4 before I felt like I was stressing them out too much. I went back out an hour or so later and all 8 were back in the bottom all cuddled up.

We don't have anything for them to perch on in the bottom, because I was hoping they would go into the box to roost. Should I add something down below? Should I move them all up in the box and lock them in for a night? What would you recommend?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Stop worrying about stressing them out and do what you need to do. They are like a toddler, quick to throw a tantrum but quick to get over it. You are not going to permanently damage them.

After it gets dark and they have settled for the night in the run, lock them in the coop section until the next morning. Be consistent, lock them up every night until they start going in on their own.

I go through this all the time when I move chicks from my brooder to the grow-out coop, usually groups of 20 chicks. They always want to sleep on the ground even if I lock them in the coop for a week before I give them access to the run. Sometimes they learn really quickly (the first time was all it took), I had one group that it took thee weeks before the last three caught on. Typically it takes about a week for all of them to catch on but each group is different.