They scared yo...

[Living_Legend]

Exactly I feel like they know how to get up but they don't know when yet

 

[Chickassan]

I don't know where they were before you cooped them but if they didn't get a day/night cycle it will take a little while before they understand the timing.

 

[Living_Legend]

Putting themselves to bed at 4 weeks 3 days old. 3rd day of coop door being open. 2nd day of them going into the run. No treats or help took place in this action.

We are done here in this thread. Experiment complete.

 

[bruceha2000]

Chickens aren't always the brightest but they are surely creatures of habit.

 

[Living_Legend]

 

[Living_Legend]

..... so update

Yesterday and today I opened the door to the run at 7am and out they went. They all went back in the coop at 5 p.m. almost exactly on the dot. So to make things easier I just ran down there and shut my manual door. I also have a automatic door that closes at sundown. The goal is to leave the manual door open at all times and the automatic door control when the coop is open or closed eventually but they are in the about 5 weeks old and I'm in the testing phase for my first chicks.

Sundown is at 8 p.m. why are they going in 3 hours early. Is this normal? Maybe they would have all came back out if I didn't shut the door but I don't know that. Just putting a feeler out there for any general input.

 

[Chickassan]

They will go later and later as they get older. My 6 week olds are an hour before sunset now, they were 2 before.

 

[bruceha2000]

Sounds like all is going very well @Living_Legend. I do recall my chicks last year going to bed earlier than the older birds for awhile, then like teenagers, started waiting later and later and were after the older ones. Eventually they all started going to roost at the same time.