Well the chickens have been in the coop for 2 weeks now, and they have a great run and great coop, but they seem to like it much better in the coop, they wont go out in the run unless I force them out, and they only stay out for 5 minutes! It has been a little hot 90 degrees, and the coop is 10 degrees cooler, so maybe its a little too hot? I dont know what the deal is! I really want them to go outside!
Well I do notice that later in the afternoon they like to come out so Hopefully when it gets cooler they will come out!
well , my coop has a FULL SIZE DOOR for my access , BUT smaller door that is always available for them to exit and enter . The older flock that are laying , enter to LAY and right back out . MY coop is built about 2 ft. off the ground so mine have full access underneath the coop for shade and to get out of rain , ETC. HOW old are they ? DO you have any that are laying ? They need to be outside to scratch in dirt , DUST and bath in the sun . SO maybe you might have to train them outside and maybe block off the coop entrance until they learn .
They are 10 weeks, and they have a big pen I only have four hens, I did exactly what you recommended I closed their door and they are going to be locked out side until closing time!
Quote:BUT you do have to have access to the hens to be able to go lay in the coop . IF NOT , you will have eggs laid thru out the run area . They will LEARN from the hens tho . HOW many 10 week olds do you have ? DO you have a rooster to control the flock ?
The reason I asked about a Rooster was a ROOSTER will control that flock . they will enter the coop when he directs them to , ETC. ETC . ETC . The other afternoon , we were sitting out back and the rooster started acting very strange . LOOKING UP , staring and moving in circles ... He started making weird sounds and guess what ? Within seconds that whole FLOCK was under the coop and were protected from WHAT BIG RED was hearing or antisipating to be a danger to HIS FLOCK . HE CONTROLS ..... I even noticed , HE exists the coop 1st. in the morning and then here comes the hens & pullets . They have their own way of communicating .
When it's really hot out, my 12 and 13 weekers like to stay in the coop, or under it since we have a coop that's off the ground. They are out in the run in the morning and late afternoon, but they're no dummies, when it's hot, they retreat to cooler dark areas. We can encourage them to come out with treats though. It's nice here today, like 80 and breezy, so they have been out a lot today. Looks like it'll be about 90 tomorrow. In my perfect world, it'd be 75 and sunny from spring through fall, and then we'd have a fun, snowy winter for about 2 months!