Young flock stopped going to coop?

[KYfreerange]

I've 2 flocks. One is ancient and isn't the problem. The other Is comprised of 6 month old hens and a 6 month old rooster. 8 strong. I have 2 big coops. One car garage sized. The older flock has the nicer one but both are more than adequate. I have my young 3 week olds in a brooder on carport. Chirping and carrying on. My old flock could care less but my younger flock is drawn to the babies or maybe it's the heat lamp or the shed I have attached to the carport since it is close to the house and certainly warmer than their coop. But last 2 nights they roost under carport on rail. Tonight I went out and got them one by one and took them to the coop and locked them in. I'm planning on leaving them in for a few days minimum to reestablish home sweet home to them. But I'm posting this because I'm concerned that maybe a predator has them scared despite all the pros to wanting to change coops to my carport. They are pretty much away from drafts. They have food n water. Clean hay and wood chips. I've seen no rat or rodent activity though doesn't mean they are not there. I'd appreciate feedback as to what I'm missing please?

 

[AstraChick]

Have you recently put the younger flock into the coop, if so, you may have to spend a few days teaching/putting them onto the roosts so they learn that's where they sleep.

 

[KYfreerange]

Have you recently put the younger flock into the coop, if so, you may have to spend a few days teaching/putting them onto the roosts so they learn that's where they sleep.

No. They are established there. They were roosting fine and returning every night on their own. Trouble started when I put new brood outside. May just be a coincidence though. Idk

 

[50-45-1]

i wonder if your young flock is drawn to the light from the chick pen. maybe they were used to the light and are comforted by it.
are the Older birds and the new flock in the same coop? the older ones may not be allowing them in.
some coops are to dark with now windows and the chickens can not see the roosts.

i think locking them in the coop for a couple days is a good plan. maybe they just need to be educated where there new home is and where they should roost.

 

[KYfreerange]

i wonder if your young flock is drawn to the light from the chick pen. maybe they were used to the light and are comforted by it.
are the Older birds and the new flock in the same coop? the older ones may not be allowing them in.
some coops are to dark with now windows and the chickens can not see the roosts.

i think locking them in the coop for a couple days is a good plan. maybe they just need to be educated where there new home is and where they should roost.

No. My old flock is across the property. Acres away. The flocks tolerate each other but dont mingle.

 

[BDutch]

Maybe they prefer the high roost in the carport? If you make a higher roost in their coop, maybe the problem is solved.

 

[KYfreerange]

Maybe they prefer the high roost in the carport? If you make a higher roost in their coop, maybe the problem is solved.

Its higher in coop. See now I thought that may be an issue before with roost too high. But never was a problem before. My old flock was using this same coop for years until I moved them to another one. Then the new flock came and took the hand me down coop

 

[AstraChick]

i wonder if your young flock is drawn to the light from the chick pen. maybe they were used to the light and are comforted by it.

some coops are to dark with now windows and the chickens can not see the roosts.

i think locking them in the coop for a couple days is a good plan. maybe they just need to be educated where there new home is and where they should roost.

i agree, chickens can't see in the dark, funny that!


also maybe they are curious with the little ones, trying to protect them, could be a good thing when integration comes around.

in the past i had 2 hatching but they where only 3 weeks apart and the youngest ones wanted so badly to be in the same cage as the others, so when the youngest where 3 weeks old i put them all together and the older ones acted like mums to them, even the cockerel. was so cute to watch, also made it easier when i had to integrate them with the older ones outside in the coop.
but probably a good idea to lock them in the coop like you said, re-education.

 

[BDutch]

Older chicks being nice to younger chicks? Not common and not my experiance. I experianced a nasty pecking order when I put younger chicks (half the age) with older chicks.
What breed do you have KYfreerange?

I agree to try re-education when the conditions in the coop are fine. If the coop is dark you could make a window for easyer roosting.

If it were sumner it could be a mite problem why they dont like to sleep in the old coop. But with freezing temperatures this is never an issue.

 

[chrissynemetz]

I'd be willing to bet they're being drawn to the light. I had a similar situation several years ago. My older chickens started roosting on my porch near the brooder. It was a nightly battle of wills getting them all in the coop. As soon as I removed the light from the brooder the older chickens stopped hanging out on the porch in the evenings and went back to roosting in their coop without any problems. Chickens can be so weird lol