Why will none of my pullets sleep in their coop?

[ChickenMomSMJ]

When I first put mine out, they slept outside on the ground. I physically picked them up and placed them into the coop, and shut the door. After a couple nights doing that they automatically go inside now.

Should I do that with our 10, 10 week olds that we have integrated into the flock of adult hens? They and 7 out of 14 our adult ladies sleep in the outside, predictor proof, run on a long perch. The ladies do it all summer due to the heat I think, but then sleep inside the coop in the winter.

Will the chicks know to go into the coop to lay once they do start laying eggs as the boxes are only accessible in the coop.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You say your coop is 25 sq ft?

coop is 5x5

Realistically that's only big enough for about six birds, providing each bird the recommended 4 sq ft of floor space. You have 3 adult birds and six pullets, that's a total of 9 birds. I really think your whole problem is that you have too many birds for the size of your coop.