Tricks on how to get Chicks up the Stairs?

[jBabychickn]

Put a small battery operated puck light inside a half hours before roosting time.
Are there any windows in the coop?

I’ll definitely try that! No windows in an Omlet coop unfortunately…

 

[jBabychickn]

A light inside around bedtime certainly will help. Natural light (a window) will do too and is easier if after have made it. If that’s possible in an Omlet.

Maybe a board behind the ladder is helpfull too?. Silkies are not the great roosting type of chickens.

They don’t really roost do they? They don’t really use the baby roosting bars that I have in the run. I do have a low lying roost bar that they do use and it’s barely off the ground. It’s too cute!

im gonna try the extra lights and extra support behind those stairs.

I will say that tonight went A LOT easier. I did t wait for them to try and go up on their own so they were less stressed out. I just went in for them and sat with them; then, coaxed them up the last couple of stairs instead of hurrying to put them inside where it’s warm.
- We definitely have a case of “We’re ALL learning here”…

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

Hi, @jBabychickn! I'm just curious to see how it's been going!

 

[WhySayWhat]

If they use that little roost that you have in the run during the day, I'd get a second one in the coop. I used a large metal dog crate to brood in and when they were about 4 weeks old, we added a couple smaller branches (less than 1/2 inch thick) at intervals so they had some vertical space (there were 14 of them in a large dog crate), all of the chicks loved climbing to the roosts during the day and at night, they started leaving their "chick pile" and started roosting at night. First, just one, then another...by 8 weeks, all 14 were cramming themselves onto the roosts (and there really was not enough roost for all of them)!

Your ladder looks a little too "vertical" from the photo, could just be the angle of the photo though. Try a longer piece of plywood or wide board (scraps) under it to make the gaps "less scary" and to give the whole ladder a more gentle slope (so they can casually walk up rather than making death defying leaps).

As for getting them to go into the coop at night, my pullets were hatched April 26, 2021 and I still have to go out every night to take one pullet into the coop because she absolutely refuses to go in on her own! When we still had our accidental cockerel, he made sure she went in at night, but boys are illegal here, so he had to go. I go out, pick her up after the automatic door closes and take her in through the big door (our coop is a converted shed). The rest all start to go in around 4-4:30, even though the door doesn't shut until 8pm. They kind of chill in the coop while the light is still on and then all jump up on the roost as soon as the timer turns the light off. It took a few weeks of going out and chasing them all into the coop at night for them to understand that that was what they were supposed to do though.

 

[jBabychickn]

If they use that little roost that you have in the run during the day, I'd get a second one in the coop. I used a large metal dog crate to brood in and when they were about 4 weeks old, we added a couple smaller branches (less than 1/2 inch thick) at intervals so they had some vertical space (there were 14 of them in a large dog crate), all of the chicks loved climbing to the roosts during the day and at night, they started leaving their "chick pile" and started roosting at night. First, just one, then another...by 8 weeks, all 14 were cramming themselves onto the roosts (and there really was not enough roost for all of them)!

Your ladder looks a little too "vertical" from the photo, could just be the angle of the photo though. Try a longer piece of plywood or wide board (scraps) under it to make the gaps "less scary" and to give the whole ladder a more gentle slope (so they can casually walk up rather than making death defying leaps).

As for getting them to go into the coop at night, my pullets were hatched April 26, 2021 and I still have to go out every night to take one pullet into the coop because she absolutely refuses to go in on her own! When we still had our accidental cockerel, he made sure she went in at night, but boys are illegal here, so he had to go. I go out, pick her up after the automatic door closes and take her in through the big door (our coop is a converted shed). The rest all start to go in around 4-4:30, even though the door doesn't shut until 8pm. They kind of chill in the coop while the light is still on and then all jump up on the roost as soon as the timer turns the light off. It took a few weeks of going out and chasing them all into the coop at night for them to understand that that was what they were supposed to do though.

Thanks so much for sharing all this experience! I have a lot more tools now. I will keep everyone posted! My hubs is building them some kind of support ramp to help with that vertical stair set-up. Good eye! It is a little steep, especially for these little ones just starting out and learning. They are doing better since I’ve added the extra light and since they get treats for going inside but I know that’s a potentially a bad habit to rely on, so I really only want that to be until we get that ramp set up. I’m adding more roosts today! @horsegirlabi <~ Thanks for checking in on us!

 

[jBabychickn]

Hi, @jBabychickn! I'm just curious to see how it's been going!

Tagged you in reply below!

 

[jBabychickn]

Tagged you in reply below!

@WhySayWhat @aart @BDutch
Guess what??? - Six of the Eight, went up the stairs on their own tonight.. Up, up, and into their safe little Coop! YAY! I’m such a Proud Chicken Mom right now…

There where Two Roo’s that couldn’t do it yet. Bless their Hearts! They would flap their little wings at the Base of the Stairs, like if they wished Hard enough, they would be Magically lifted up inside too. So, I went right in to help, it was the Cutest thing, they willing walked into my hands right away like they just knew I’d help them up.

As far as things I did to help:
I added an extra light. I used treats moderately. Spent extra time with them sitting in the Coop. — We never got around to the extra ramp, when they decided to suddenly start using the stairs. I’m thinking we will do this anyway because those stairs are a bit too steep and I’d feel more comfortable doing so…

thanks again everyone!!

 

[jBabychickn]

@WhySayWhat @aart @BDutch
Guess what??? - Six of the Eight, went up the stairs on their own tonight.. Up, up, and into their safe little Coop! YAY! I’m such a Proud Chicken Mom right now…

There where Two Roo’s that couldn’t do it yet. Bless their Hearts! They would flap their little wings at the Base of the Stairs, like if they wished Hard enough, they would be Magically lifted up inside too. So, I went right in to help, it was the Cutest thing, they willing walked into my hands right away like they just knew I’d help them up.

As far as things I did to help:
I added an extra light. I used treats moderately. Spent extra time with them sitting in the Coop. — We never got around to the extra ramp, when they decided to suddenly start using the stairs. I’m thinking we will do this anyway because those stairs are a bit too steep and I’d feel more comfortable doing so…

thanks again everyone!!

@horsegirlabi

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

@WhySayWhat @aart @BDutch
Guess what??? - Six of the Eight, went up the stairs on their own tonight.. Up, up, and into their safe little Coop! YAY! I’m such a Proud Chicken Mom right now…

There where Two Roo’s that couldn’t do it yet. Bless their Hearts! They would flap their little wings at the Base of the Stairs, like if they wished Hard enough, they would be Magically lifted up inside too. So, I went right in to help, it was the Cutest thing, they willing walked into my hands right away like they just knew I’d help them up.

As far as things I did to help:
I added an extra light. I used treats moderately. Spent extra time with them sitting in the Coop. — We never got around to the extra ramp, when they decided to suddenly start using the stairs. I’m thinking we will do this anyway because those stairs are a bit too steep and I’d feel more comfortable doing so…

thanks again everyone!!

Woohoo!!!

 

[Lizzy733]

I swear silkies would be ground birds if you let them. I had my coop set up with 'handicapped' access - shallow angle flat board ramps with treads or notches very close together and a porch at the top before the entrance. And a ramp up to the night perches since my Silkie doesn't really 'jump up' to roost.

It still took her weeks of help to 'get it'.