They wont go in at dark

[chicksrule1]

I have 7 week old chicks, they are in an attached coop/run all day. When dark comes, they huddle up in a corner in the run. They do not go inside the coop. I have to pick each one up and put them in at night. I did have them locked in the coop for the first few days so they knew that was home but it still doesn't seem to help. What do i do? I am leaving overnight in a few weeks and i don't want them outside all night long in the run!

 

[Gallusfarm]

You did right in leaving them locked up. They must need more time-usually a week is the minimum recommended time to leave them locked in the coop. Make sure they have water and food, and plenty of ventilation if it's hot where you are. Then they should go back in a night no problem. Good luck!

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Keep putting them in, and they will figure it out soon.
It may help to keep them shut in the coop for a couple of more days

 

[briteday]

Our little girls have been out for a couple of weeks now, a-frame grow out coop next to the shed coop for the hens. When they first went out I was using the heat lamp every night and I kept them locked in the coop upstairs for about one week. Didn't matter as the weather turned miserable that week anyway and I would have kept them in. So when I started letting them downstairs I would turn the lamp on (I can do it with a switch from the house since the extension cord is plugged into the lamp by the back door) around 7PM when the sun goes down and they naturally seek extra warmth. I only had to crawl under the coop about 4 evenings to put them upstairs. After that they followed the warm light.

 

[irisheyes]

Newbi here but on the advise of others , I put a light in the coop tonight and they all walked up the ramp to the light and put them selves to bed.... I was in the same situation of having to put them in every night...


I swapped the heat light for a 60 watt bulb