When will chicks start going into coop at night?

[blueheaven]

My chicks are 3 weeks. I moved them into their coop with a heat lamp. I let them out a lot during the day, but it is hard rounding them up at night to get them back into the coop. They have not gotten the hang of the chicken ladder. When will they???

Any suggestions for teaching them?

 

[RendonRoo]

I physically put them thru the pop door at night just before dark. Then i closed the door. After a couple of days they would just be in there when i went out to close them up. They will get the hang of it. Next you will have to put them on the roost after they go in. They will soon learn that too. Good Luck

 

[addicted2chicks]

Did you keep them in the coop first for 2 weeks without letting them out? They learn where "home" is if you do that. I did it and when I let them out even the first day they were back in their coop by sunset on their own. I just had to shut the door.

 

[blueheaven]

They were in the house in their brooder for the first two weeks then out in their coop from weeks 2-3 and stayed in there most of the time unless I went and let them out.

My coop is up off the ground 1.5 feet, and the chicks have not gotten the hang of the ladder yet. I have not left them out until sunset as it has not been really, really warm until then. One later night they were huddled all together in tall grass so I knew they were cold...so I put them in right away.

Just did not know if I had to 'work with them' to get used to using the ladder going into the coop. Again, they are only 3 weeks old...

 

[mommathea]

What I did to teach my chicks how to use the ladder was to sprinkle their favorite treat up the ladder, they would go up the ladder as they pecked the feed. It only took 2 days of doing that to get them to go up on their own. Now they go in and out of teh coop via. ladder all day.

 

[codybird]

I was having that problem and someone suggested putting a strip if carpet on the ladder, so they didn't slip. Three days later they were going up the ladder on their on at night. Might have helped.

 

[blueheaven]

carpet...great idea. i will try that!
thanks.

 

[LilbitChicken]

Hello, I like the carpet idea too! That would help!

Regardless, in a week...I'm sure they will get the hang of it!