Build it and they will roost. . . .NOT YET

[audioguy]

We finished our coop and run and introduced our 7 week old chicks to their new home. Its been about 2 weeks and they are not interested in going in the coop. The nights that they are not under the coop, I lift them up and put them in, but most of the nights they are huddled into a corner of the run all snuggled together. Its been warm at night here in NJ, so I'm not worried, + they have feathers.

I have heard all sides of the spectrum from "they will get it" to "they never get it" to "once it snows they will move in", to "it could take months".

I'm not worried in the least that eventually they will figure it out!

Looks like a good home to me!

 

[gryeyes]

I think the ramp is far too steep for them. If you don't have a lot of space, make a sort of ziggeraut of ramps, with one end of the current ramp on a couple of stacked concrete blocks, a new ramp leading perpendicular to it, to another concrete block, and then a final, third ramp to that one.

 

[krissteff]

Mine aren't too quick to "get it" either.

 

[ChickenAl]

That ramp does look awfully steep, and they would have to jump to get in the door or leap to get out. Try the zigzag type of ramp that gryeyes said to do and run the end of the ramp to the bottom of the chicken door.

Also, you may want to keep the chickens locked up in the coop for a few days to a week so they know it is home.

Ours took a few nights of shooing up the ramp and into the coop to get the hang of it. 3 got it by the second night and the other three got it in a couple more days. Now they go in before dark and hop right up on the roosts. With the proper conditions nature and instinct should take over.

Good luck.

 

[BooBear]

Quote:
I agree, once the ramp is fixed they will be more acceptable to it.

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

Quote:
X 2

 

[MarinMama]

The ramp may be too steep and the rungs (not sure if that is what is called) might be too far apart.

 

[Stingrayg4]

Lock 'em inside for three days, they'll learn that it's home. I do agree about the ramp though. I don't think that it's so steep that it's impossible for them to get in there, but it's probably confusing them. Why is the door so high?

-S

 

[audioguy]

I adjusted the ramp so its closer to the door and added a brick under the ramp to raise it a bit. Thanks for the suggestions!!

The door is that high because we are going with the deep bedding method so the door had to be at least that high (6") to prevent the shavings from coming out.

One of the girls attempted to get up the ramp and made it 3/4 the way up!

Maybe the will "get it".??!!

I also attached the door to the coop, so maybe locking them in might do the trick.

 

[jermoatc]

I also noticed your waterer is outside. If you have room for it inside if you put it inside they will have to go in to drink. Then they will learn how to do it.