When will my silly chickens learn to go in their coop at night!

[ChksontheRun]

Six weeks old, and every night I have to go out at dark and put 15 little ones into their warm coop with heat lamp so they wont freeze. Any ideas how to train them to go in by themselves. They just huddle by the gate till I come out

Dont get me wrong, I am willing to do this little thing for them. I go out anyway to put the water into the coop for the night and close the door. I just wish they would learn by themselves.

They have a ramp to go up, but I know they know how as they do it all day long.

GRRRRRR

 

[Lollipop]

Their natural instinct is to go back to the same roost every night. However, they won`t do that until they succumb to the instinct to roost. Some brooder chicks don`t get the idea for quite a while. After they are fully feathered and no longer need the heat lamp, you may find that roosting is started and you may not. If not, try putting them on the roost each night for a while and see if you can get the idea accross. It`s much easier with a hen as she would be teaching them to roost at the age you have now, but she would be their heat source. Not so easy when they need the lamp. Patience, patience..........Pop

 

[mlove]

It took my silkies and polish 2 weeks to go into their coop at night by themselves. The first week they all had to be moved and then slowly the numbers went down where I only had to move a few. I was so excited the first night they all put themselves to bed.

 

[Happy Chooks]

I have some 6 week old chicks and 4 week old chicks in a small coop together. They are still on a 100 watt heat lamp because the 4 week old chicks are not fully feathered yet. I turn off the light during the day, but I find if I turn it on before it's totally dark, they will all go in on their own. They weren't always that way though. I had a week of putting them in and closing the door before they got the hint.

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

I put their feed and water outside for a few days in the morning then at dusk I would take it back inside the coop and they would follow me I still had to go in after dark and put them on the roost but after a few days they got to the point of going into the coop at night and after a week they started useing the roost now they all go in at night even the buffs I have in the grow out pen they learned from my other birds.
Give it time they are slow learners but they do get it after awhile.


Good Luck to you

 

[KKatknap]

How long have they been in there? Mine took probably a week of "mommying" before they put themselves to bed. It's a proud day when they figure it all out.

 

[raimnel]

I locked mine in the coop only for 1-2 weeks then when they have axcess to the run or free range they know to go "home" at night. doing this when their young also helps when they laying age...... They'll go to the coop to lay eggs for ya.

also I would like to add about the roosting. at 1-2 weeks I put a small roost in the brooder box about 2-3 inches off the floor that way they learn to roost for ya. remember though when you put them in the "big" coop to put roosts where they can get up to them. I have a ladder by my nesting boxes and a "step stool" by my roosts so that my silkies can get up there. I had chickens laying eggs on the floor till it dawned on my that my itty bitty silkies couldn't get up there to do their business. just a thought to help solve some problems

 

[ChksontheRun]

Thanks for the encouragement that I wont be putting them to bed forever. They do roost during the day on a branch that I put in the pen, They have not yet climbed the ladder to the roost in the coop. It is supposed to be very cold again tonight and I want them to use the heat lamp tonight, but perhaps later in the week when It gets warmer, I will try putting them on the roosts when I put them to bed. I have only been putting them to bed for 10 days so I am still in the range of normal it sounds like. Thanks again. This is the best site for new chicken owners. Lots of people to help with the challenges!