Why won't my chickens go up to

[Golden Brahma 64]

They’re only five weeks old, they need to get into a routine. Usually they copy what the mother does but you will have to teach them, put them on a roost every night and they’ll get used to it within 2 weeks. That’s my advice

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

I am just putting my babies out too and they start crying for me when it gets too dark. They huddle by the gate leading out and come into my hands to go back in the brooder tote. I bring them in at night because they are still so young. As for a light in the coop, this is an excellent idea and it doesn't have to be permanent, nor very bright! It can stay until they get used to their new sleeping place. Poor babies without a mama hen, I feel so bad. They'll get the hang of it though. As for being tougher, I guess it's a question of how tuff. If they cry but aren't fully panicked, you can lock them in, but if they are full-on panicked and thrashing and rushing to get out,I would not recommend fighting them. Bring them in, it's not worth making them even more afraid of the coop and of you IMHO!

 

[Peppercorngal]

Maybe my whimpy birds need a night light (or a camp fire.

Young birds when outside in a run during the day will usually not learn to return to the coop to sleep without a light. They will, after a few weeks, get to know their space and return to roost at night on their own without the light. Also young chickens "learn" to roost, some before others. I was given a full grown hen that never learned to roost because she never had one. She laid her eggs on the floor of the coop because she never learned to "go up" to anything. After 8 months here, she roosts 5 feet off the ground and also lays in a box that is the highest one available! Add a light for a time and they will learn where to go at night. Good Luck and welcome here!

 

[aart]

It's good to have glazed windows(top hinged or static) in the coop for daylight infiltration for when it's rainy or windy outside, as they may not want to be out in the run portion of the coop during those times.
It also helps them to go into coop to roost at dusk.

Usually when you first put chicks outside, you keep them in the coop only for a few days to a week to 'home' them to the safest and snuggest place for them to be, and where you want them to return to sleep at night. Then let them out into the run. But they don't like 'new things', it's why we call people who are afraid 'chickens', and can take some time and encouragement and/or manipulation to get help them acclimate to their new housing.

Those tiny coops can be hard to manage, adding some ventilation in the coop wall under the run roof can much improve the environment inside the coop.
The roosts and nests are at the same level and can cause problem with sleeping in nests(and thus poopy eggs), here's a great modification of a tiny coop that very nicely addresses that issue in particular that you might want to consider:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1134399/help-hens-roosting-in-nest-boxes/10#post_17749535

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

Review

 

[Golden Brahma 64]

It's good to have glazed windows(top hinged or static) in the coop for daylight infiltration for when it's rainy or windy outside, as they may not want to be out in the run portion of the coop during those times.
It also helps them to go into coop to roost at dusk.

Usually when you first put chicks outside, you keep them in the coop only for a few days to a week to 'home' them to the safest and snuggest place for them to be, and where you want them to return to sleep at night. Then let them out into the run. But they don't like 'new things', it's why we call people who are afraid 'chickens', and can take some time and encouragement and/or manipulation to get help them acclimate to their new housing.

Those tiny coops can be hard to manage, adding some ventilation in the coop wall under the run roof can much improve the environment inside the coop.
The roosts and nests are at the same level and can cause problem with sleeping in nests(and thus poopy eggs), here's a great modification of a tiny coop that very nicely addresses that issue in particular that you might want to consider:
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1134399/help-hens-roosting-in-nest-boxes/10#post_17749535

Add more ventilation? That looks like plenty in my eyes

You can’t see the whole coop in the photo that the OP posted, so watch the video to get a better idea of what it looks like