They choose to sleep outside...

[Shadrach]

Put them in the coop. Wait until dusk, or the moment they go to roost on the railing if you can and put them on the roost bar.
The cold isn't the problem. The mesh outside is. That mesh won't stop a weasel, or a mink and I can't see in the picture any protection from aerial predators.

 

[Melky]

Ventilation space should be 1 sq ft per 10 sq ft to assure adequate ventilation in coop. Make sure you have that. My guess is they just like it and got used to it.

 

[Henrik Petersson]

A friend of mine has a really nice coop her birds, like yours, only use for laying and food. They sleep on a roost in the predator proof run, year round. They've been doing that for years and it can get into the negative teens F.

Don't they get frostbite?

 

[SueT]

If the inside roosts are 2x4s on edge, they may not like that...too skinny for comfort? Mine avoided a skinny 2" branch roost, I had to change it. Now mine have 2x4s flat. Try turning them flat.

 

[chickens really]

Hello..Your going to have to retrain them to use the Coop. Go lock them in each night for about a week or so. Chickens are creatures of habit. I'm sure their is nothing wrong with the Coop or Roosts.

 

[meetthebubus]

Ok this issue has come up recently for others the common statements are usually whats wrong with your coop, but I'm telling you chickens have a mind of their own and many do sleep outside for various reasons

My Easter eggers want to sleep outside, their reason is mostly height it's really hot here and they are enclosed in a 360 cage run so I let them

Now we are experiencing freeze at night temps in the 20s so I put up high roosts in another enclosure I have for them so it won't be as cold I noticed they were huddling together alot and so

I think you are right to be worried it is cold and you might want to recreate a roost similar to the porch or take them in the coop at night whilst cold

I carried 16 chickens in last night bc of the 20 degrees only 5 went to the new roosts by themselves

I'd go with your instincts if they are sayin they could be too cold listen to that.

 

[Abriana]

It could be mites. I have heard of birds refusing to go into the coop because of mites. Do they go in during the day to lay eggs?

 

[MissChick@dee]

Ok this issue has come up recently for others the common statements are usually whats wrong with your coop, but I'm telling you chickens have a mind of their own and many do sleep outside for various reasons

My Easter eggers want to sleep outside, their reason is mostly height it's really hot here and they are enclosed in a 360 cage run so I let them

Now we are experiencing freeze at night temps in the 20s so I put up high roosts in another enclosure I have for them so it won't be as cold I noticed they were huddling together alot and so

I think you are right to be worried it is cold and you might want to recreate a roost similar to the porch or take them in the coop at night whilst cold

I carried 16 chickens in last night bc of the 20 degrees only 5 went to the new roosts by themselves

I'd go with your instincts if they are sayin they could be too cold listen to that.

It’s 4 degrees out side right now. Last night got down to 0. At least my new heated water bowl works! My head is frozen now!

 

[Mach 1 Padilla]

The healthiest rooster I ever had always slept outside in the same tree, winter/rain/storm and he was fine. But the disadvantage of that is predators which after about 2 years his luck ran out and got eaten.

There may be others but ive found 2 reasons why some chickens (not roosters) wont sleep inside the coop. Mites or too much poop and they don't like the smell of ammonia.

 

[Melky]

I agree birds like it best where fresh and clean with plenty of air. My birds love to go in the coop right after I clean it.