Training to go in at night?

[Cryss]

I'm sure this has been addressed before but i can't find it. I've had my 4 chickens a week now, 2 buff orps, 2 lav orps about 7 weeks old. Small coop. You can see my coop and run here. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/sand-as-litter.1209365/#post-19226121
The first night hubby had to climb under the hen house part to retrieve them and place them insude the coop to roost. Next day I blocked that area off hoping to encourage them to find shelter in the hen house. They like to sit in the doorway during the day but huddled on the froind when it got dark. 23 nights ago one made it inside, but the following night didn't. However 2 others did! Then last night no one went inside. Once they are consistant I'll open the underside of the henhouse which is protected from wind. But.... how the heck do i get them to go in without physically placing them inside?

 

[Hope Hughes]

When I build a new coop and put them in it I usually leave them in the coop and run for about a week and then let them out and they know the coop is home and will put themselves up. I have done it in 3 days before and I have had to wait a week too... each flock was different though. They learn it's Home. ​

 

[Zoomie]

I have that exact same coop, so I know it did not come with a pop door and has goofy perches. We had to put a pop door in there, and I would suggest doing that. Also, I changed the roosting arrangement into ladders, that go up to that peak in the roof, so they can roost all the way up there if they want to. You might think about doing these changes.

How many chickens do you have? Because I think if you stop blocking off the nesting area and instead open it up and put the food and water there, you will be able to lock in a small amount of chickens. I was not planning on any more than three, in mine, but if they are younger and smaller, maybe you could fit four. If you have older chickens, and more than four, DON'T LOCK THEM IN THERE. It's too small... even with 4 you would be pushing it. You don't want to create a brand new problem.

If you figure that it's too small for locking them in there... it is possible that they know the coop is too small, or they may not like that goofy perch 4" off the floor. As I have just observed in another thread: it's really hard to argue with a chicken. If they think your coop is too small for them to fit in it, well, it's pretty hard to get them to do it. If you only have a few chickens, try locking them in, you might be able to change their minds, but if you've got 4 or 5 chickens, they might be telling you that coop is uncomfortable, too small, they don't like the perches etc. and that you need to make some changes.

 

[Hope Hughes]

I have that exact same coop, so I know it did not come with a pop door and has goofy perches. We had to put a pop door in there, and I would suggest doing that. Also, I changed the roosting arrangement into ladders, that go up to that peak in the roof, so they can roost all the way up there if they want to. You might think about doing these changes.

How many chickens do you have? Because I think if you stop blocking off the nesting area and instead open it up and put the food and water there, you will be able to lock in a small amount of chickens. I was not planning on any more than three, in mine, but if they are younger and smaller, maybe you could fit four. If you have older chickens, and more than four, DON'T LOCK THEM IN THERE. It's too small... even with 4 you would be pushing it. You don't want to create a brand new problem.

If you figure that it's too small for locking them in there... it is possible that they know the coop is too small, or they may not like that goofy perch 4" off the floor. As I have just observed in another thread: it's really hard to argue with a chicken. If they think your coop is too small for them to fit in it, well, it's pretty hard to get them to do it. If you only have a few chickens, try locking them in, you might be able to change their minds, but if you've got 4 or 5 chickens, they might be telling you that coop is uncomfortable, too small, they don't like the perches etc. and that you need to make some changes.

I agree with @Zoomie the coop is small for them to just be locked into it, i miss wrote my reply a little, I ment to keep them locked in the coop and run. My coop and run are attached and when I first put them in it I do not build anything in the run for them to roost on that way they will go into the coop where their roost are. I m sorry for any confusion in how I wrote the reply. ​

 

[Cryss]

I agree with @Zoomie the coop is small for them to just be locked into it, i miss wrote my reply a little, I ment to keep them locked in the coop and run. My coop and run are attached and when I first put them in it I do not build anything in the run for them to roost on that way they will go into the coop where their roost are. I m sorry for any confusion in how I wrote the reply. ​

Your reply was very clear no problem. These are small young chickens. They can all 4 huddle in a corner at night in about 1/4 of the hen house so I doubt it's too small. They are confined to the henhouse and attached coop. When they finally learn where home is I will let them out into the dog pen run. I don't want to put water in the henhouse because it is getting below freezing at night and I dont want condensation to cause frostbite.
Pop door? What is a pop door?

 

[Cryss]

Oooh!! Maybe I spoke too soon! Hibby just went out and they were all inside. All he had to do was close the door! Now lets see if they are consistent. Here's hoping.

 

[Hope Hughes]

Oooh!! Maybe I spoke too soon! Hibby just went out and they were all inside. All he had to do was close the door! Now lets see if they are consistent. Here's hoping.

Hopefully they are learning on their own.
​

 

[Cryss]

I have that exact same coop, so I know it did not come with a pop door and has goofy perches. We had to put a pop door in there, and I would suggest doing that. Also, I changed the roosting arrangement into ladders, that go up to that peak in the roof, so they can roost all the way up there if they want to. You might think about doing these changes.

How many chickens do you have? Because I think if you stop blocking off the nesting area and instead open it up and put the food and water there, you will be able to lock in a small amount of chickens. I was not planning on any more than three, in mine, but if they are younger and smaller, maybe you could fit four. If you have older chickens, and more than four, DON'T LOCK THEM IN THERE. It's too small... even with 4 you would be pushing it. You don't want to create a brand new problem.

If you figure that it's too small for locking them in there... it is possible that they know the coop is too small, or they may not like that goofy perch 4" off the floor. As I have just observed in another thread: it's really hard to argue with a chicken. If they think your coop is too small for them to fit in it, well, it's pretty hard to get them to do it. If you only have a few chickens, try locking them in, you might be able to change their minds, but if you've got 4 or 5 chickens, they might be telling you that coop is uncomfortable, too small, they don't like the perches etc. and that you need to make some changes.

I'm such a newbie. What's a pop door?

 

[Hope Hughes]

I'm such a newbie. What's a pop door?

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pop-door-for-coop.910742/
​

 

[Cryss]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/pop-door-for-coop.910742/
​

So a pop door is the door the chickens come out of the hen house through? My coop has that. It has a sliding door. It slides sideways, easily accessed through the upper gate on the coop.