Transitioning to the coop and run.

[jreardon1918]

Like you we are raising our first flock. We moved the 7 chicks out to the coop at 5 weeks. Southeastern Mass. It was still a bit cold, but they didn't seem to mind. Because the run was not done. They spent their first 6 days in the coop 4x8. I moved one of the two movable roosts down resting on cinder blocks. After two days they were roosting on the one higher up, so I moved the other one to the regular height. When I finally got the run done, I just opened the door and they went out. They have been going in at dusk each night. No chasing. In the left corner of the picture of coop and run, you can see an ornamental solar chicken light. At night, I place this in the run up by a window. It gives the chicks a bit of light. There is currently no electricity in the coop.

 

[azygous]

So I should be waiting until dark then? Once they learn to but themselves into the coop, do they normally go in at dusk or after dark?

It just makes it easier to put chicks into the coop when you wait until they're ready to do it anyway.

If you try to get them to go in too early, when it's still daylight, you're not going to have much cooperation. It's like trying to put a toddler to bed when it's still light out and there are exciting things to do.

Chickens will go inside when the sun goes down. Or even earlier if it's getting near dusk but there's cloud cover. When we get the solar eclipse in August, watch them all go in to roost when the sun gets blocked. Should be interesting.

 

[RonC]

Get a light of some sort in the coop and they should start going in on their own. Even a cheap battery powered lantern or solar powered light from would work. Harbor Freight has a cheap little solar light that would be perfect. Turn it off after they go in. I had to show mine a couple of times but setting one or two on the ramp she would go in and the others would follow. Surprised they haven't already learned. Mine made field trips to the run daily from the brooder and one day when they were three weeks old they refused to let me put them in their brooder. I just moved the heat lamp to the coop and never put them back in the brooder. And don't worry about them roosting, it will come naturally.

 

[RonC]

Here's a link to the light. They have them on sale pretty much all the time except now of course. https://www.harborfreight.com/36-led-solar-security-light-60498.htm

 

[ryan519]

Get a light of some sort in the coop and they should start going in on their own. Even a cheap battery powered lantern or solar powered light from would work. Harbor Freight has a cheap little solar light that would be perfect. Turn it off after they go in. I had to show mine a couple of times but setting one or two on the ramp she would go in and the others would follow. Surprised they haven't already learned. Mine made field trips to the run daily from the brooder and one day when they were three weeks old they refused to let me put them in their brooder. I just moved the heat lamp to the coop and never put them back in the brooder. And don't worry about them roosting, it will come naturally.

Thanks for the info.

Do you (or anyone else) think I should seal off the nesting boxes for now, until the chickens get older? Some people have suggested that. Three of my chickens are 7 weeks old and one is 6 weeks old. The three older ones appear to hop onto the roost or on top of the boxes to sleep. The younger one seems to like sleeping in the nesting box. Is this normal behavior for young chickens?

 

[Hoodoo Hens]

Well I hung my rechargeable lantern in the coop just before sunset and waited. About 20 minutes after sunset they started going into the coop. Terrific! I think it took them about 10 to 15 minutes before the last 2 of a dozen hens decided the coop was preferable to being outside. I turned off the light and closed up the coop. Mission accomplished and thanks for the tips! That didn't take long at all.

 

[RonC]

Yes block the nest boxes unless you enjoy cleaning them.