They haven't got the idea yet.

[ethel2016]

I have moved my 7-8 week old chicks out of the brooder and into the coop and run 3 days ago. I have put them in the coop every night manually (carrying them out of the run and placing them into the coop) because they won't go in by themselves. Should i actually lock them up in the coop for a week so they get the idea they are supposed to "go to bed at night"? Or will they just eventually go inside by themselves. I get home at 11:30 at night and i find them just roosting in the run area. I want to have them locked up in the evening for protection.

What do i do?

 

[QueenMisha]

New birds should always be locked in the coop for the first 48-72 hours so they learn where home is.

 

[ethel2016]

Thanks I was worried about what i needed to do to get them to figure it out. These are my girls and my 2 Rouen ducks.

 

[Donutlou]

Same thing happened to our little girls. We did keep them in the coop for the first 3-4 days then we let them out into the run, which is completely enclosed. They did not want to go back in the coop at night, huddling together in the run. I had to put them in by hand, one night I was away and called my neighbor to put them away. Haha. That was a few weeks ago. Now they all go in on their own. Long story short, don't worry they will get the idea.