They dont want to go in at dark!

[Egg Rookie 2010]

SO the birds are 6 weeks old and were locked in the coop a week before I let them out into the run. Well that has only been 3 days now but they are all standing at the pop door when I come out in the morning already! So last night at dark I was ready to close up the door and they all refused to go home! I dont really want to chase them in at night cause they might decide to always run from me and as it is now they LOVE me...following me around the perimeter of the run etc. So...any thoughts? This is exactly why I wondered how those automatic doors worked. (which I dont have)

 

[annaraven]

If they're not going in at night on their own, there's something wrong in my coop. Could there be mites? Or something else going on? I would check the coop thoroughly. Not sure how to check for mites, but I've heard of that causing them to not want to go in.

 

[ailurophile23]

When my first chicks got big enough and I let them out the first time, I too tried to put them up at "dark". They apparently had a different definition of 'dark' than I did and were not ready to go in. After two days of chasing chickens at their predetermined (by me) bedtime, I decided this was not going to work. The next night, I wait and watched and sure enough, they put them selves to bed in the coop just a little while after I thought they should be going in. The best advice I can give you is be patient and give them time - they are still young and like to stay out later than you think they should.

 

[BarefootMom]

I say give them time. 6 weeks is kinda young it seems to me to be figuring it all out already. I had some that were 8 weeks and we still had to catch them and put them in at night (hard to do with free rangers!)

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

Well they like to hang out in there in the daytime...they appear to be playing...chasing each other around, laying in the sun and rolling around in the shavings. And Im a rookie too so Im stumped.

 

[moetrout]

Put a night light in the coup for them. Chickens can be....well....chicken! They don't like dark places. A night light will give them the encouragement they need to go in on their own since as it gets darker outside the inside has some light that attracks them inside. If you don't have power go buy yourself a cheap solar walk way light. The only modification I had to do to make mine work was take them off the stake, then i just stuck them in the windows so they can charge and then turn on as it gets dark. Try it, it's a cheap test and I would be willing to bet this is the problem with your young birds.

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

moetrout THAT is an interesting, cheap and great idea! Plus it might look cool too...Im gonna try that! I swear my birds are living better than half the people on this planet! My granny would just LAUGH at this whole project. Back in her day they let the birds roost in the barn and throw a little scratch out in the morning. Thats it! Solar lights....she would just laugh...(Im getting some!)

 

[jojo54]

I agree that lights are the answer. It is probably darker in the coop than outside. We have a motion light on the coop because we figured it would help scare away predators plus make it easier for us to see in the dark. When we first put it up, it was taking longer and longer for the girls to go in until we realized that they were setting off the light and staying out to get a few more peck and scratches in. We have some girls that go in early because they want a specific roost whereas others like to be the last one in.