Training my chicks

[paulsooie]

Ok my chicks are 4 weeks old and I finally finished the coop and run. How do I teach them to sleep in the house instead of the run. I have to physically put them back in the chicken coop for them to sleep there. Do I need to confine them up the coop a few days before I let them on the fun or just out them back in the coop every night for them to learn?

 

[azelgin]

Ok my chicks are 4 weeks old and I finally finished the coop and run. How do I teach them to sleep in the house instead of the run. I have to physically put them back in the chicken coop for them to sleep there. Do I need to confine them up the coop a few days before I let them on the fun or just out them back in the coop every night for them to learn?

Either way will work.
I like to lock them up in the coop for a least a week. Some times two. Much less hassle for me.

 

[gander007]

Well it is getting warmer and it might work ether way but
for the most part as you do not have older chickens for
them to follow I personal lock them up in the coop for
a couple of days then release them into the run ....

 

[paulsooie]

Thank you very much

 

[Varglet]

This last batch of chicks I hatched out over the winter used to huddle up along the outside of the coop at night, even after I had them locked up in the coop for a week (and even having the 5 adults showing them when to go inside). I started feeding them in the evening, as it was getting dark, and they figured out they should go inside at night, since by the time they ate enough to satisfy themselves, it was already too dark for them to want to go back outside.

I still feed them in the evening, but at least a couple hours before it gets dark and they still remember to go in before dark. They're even learning to get up in the rafters before it gets too dark for them to be able to see to get up there (I don't have any windows in the coop, since it's a converted shed).

 

[paulsooie]

If I have the heat lamp on they head right in there, but if it's off they all stay on the ramp going up into the house. If they are there and I turn on the lamp, up they go. May need some work on that

 

[nojake]

I put food on the ramp steps and in the loft. 2 days all it took

 

[cdover15]

I put mine on the bottom of the ramp everynight and she learned what to do in two days!