They won't come out of their coop

[NicInNC]

My 8 week old bantam hens want to stay inside their coop 24/7. Here is a picture of the coop:

Should I block the door to the inside of the coop during the day? When I take them out, they fly right back up into it.

At least I know they like it.

 

[swtangel321]

hmmmm, odd !!!! Mine stand at the door from the time they wake up to the time we let them out just waiting, and when we open the door they all run out like they have never seen the outside (they go outside everyday from 6:30am-8:00pm)


Yours are still kind of young, maybe they just need to get use to outside the coop more, if it were me I would shut the door for a little while, and then open it again. Good luck !!!

 

[flakey chick]

Clearly you made there coop too nice and that's why they don't want to leave.

 

[Bi0sC0mp]

they are still young put some treats down to coach them out in due time they will come out..

 

[NicInNC]

Quote:
I gave them some spaghetti tonight and they were petrified of it! One of them finally took some bites, but the other kept flying into the coop scared to death. Now I know where the saying "You're such a chicken" came from! My chicks are such babies! I'll take them way out into the other part of our yard and they just stand there like they're scared to move. Then they'll come running up under my legs like something is after them.

 

[EngieKisses]

When we first put our bantys outside in their coop and run, they stayed in theirs too. They would venture outside only to eat and drink. Now they are about 15 weeks old (the oldest) and they stay outside all day. It took until they were about 13 weeks old to start staying out though. I am thinking it is a maturity thing.

 

[Teresaann24]

I wish this was my only problem. My chicks ranging from 9 weeks to about 4 months wont even go into there beautiful coop Iv made them. One batch sits at the door at roosting time and some dont go up the ramps at all. They even stood in the rain today...UGH

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

I have the same coop. Maybe make a little ramp so that once they get back out, they can easily go back in. I had to do that with my Silkies. They couldnt hop back in.

 

[vfem]

My younger silkies are 8 weeks... I have to drag them out in the mornings. By lunch they are already back in the coop. I think its a safety thing while they are so young?!

 

[Ladysonja]

My girls are just as silly... Just be patient, they will figure it out.

You may want to entice them with a feeder and water in the run to help let them know it's ok. Maybe close the door to the coop for a couple of hours and see if that helps. Your coop/run is beautiful.

They will find the courage to check things out.

When I put my girls in the run/coop and night came, I found them all huddle in the chicken door opening and would not go into the coop. I had to physically put them on the roost in the coop the first night.

The next night, DH had run the electricity out to the coop. So I turned it on and the girls were still huddled at the chicken door, but managed find their way in. By the third night, the lights came on and the girls went in like "monkey-see, monkey-do" and have every night since.

When it came to treats, my girls were little girly-girls. Everything scared the pellets out of them! Again, with time, everything came to them and now they gobble up anything I bring to them. A few are still a bit silly, but everyone gets a taste.

I put my three week olds out in the coop/run this weekend (our weather will allow it) and they were so happy. It could be the difference in breeds...

I wish you luck.