Will they figure out the whole coop-to-run thing?

[Curlita]

I finally moved my chickens into their coop and their completed run. They spent about 24 hours in the coop, and then I put them out at about 4 PM yesterday. I was impatient to have them admire our hard work on the run, so I picked them up one by one and put them down in the run. I tried to show two of them the little gangway in and out by putting them halfway up it, with mixed results.

Last night when I went to tuck them in, they were huddled under the coop. I had to chase them down to get them back inside.

I swore that this morning I would let them come out on their own and get used to the gangway, but after opening their door at 7 AM, at 11 I finally herded them out of the coop and down the gangway.

I'm wondering if they will figure out to go back UP the gangway to get back in again, or if I will have to chase them around again tonight...

Will they figure it all out on their own? Or do I need to do a PowerPoint presentation? How long will it take them?

The youngest two are about 2 months old and the oldest two are about 4 months old.

 

[happyhen]

It took about 3 days for all of mine to figure it out. 1 brave one came half way down the ramp the first day, stopped, went back up, inside, down halfway again and repeated several more times while the others watched before working up the courage to try it themselves.

Be patient and try hard not to laugh at their antics. They'll figure it out!

 

[Curlita]

I was wondering if they learned from each other at all... Sigh. Looks like I might be in for another game of chase-the-chicken tonight.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

I spent the first week of them being in the "big run" by tossing their feathered butts into the doghouse coop everynight. They will eventually figure it out.

Mine are 14 weeks old and in the coop with the "Big Girls" now. They are all out in the small run at sun up yelling for me to come let them out into the big run!!!

 

[Chickndaddy]

Oh that can't be any worse than trying to convince 60+ Cochins that they are supposed to roost at night.

Those little fuzzballs drove me insane. They just wanted to pile up in the corner.

 

[Curlita]

Oh, mine are still piling up in the corner to sleep, too. I've seen them roost and know they know how, but they want to sleep in a little pile.

I figure HOW they sleep is their business, but WHERE they sleep is mine.

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

Now that's a powerpoint presentation I'd actually enjoy watching!

Give 'em another day or two and they'll knock you down trying to get out.

 

[CoyoteMagic]

Oh, I do you one better. My 14 week olds do roost but they do so on in a 3ft sq area stuffed in the back corner of the coop. All 11 of them!! I have seen them roosting on top of each other!! 15+ feet of roosts have no chickens on them!!