Getting chicks into the coop

[amenning]

I am a fairly new chicken owner and have a questions. The chicks we have are 5 1/2 weeks old, about 3 days ago I took away the heat lamp and ever since we have had a hard time getting them into the coop at night. Tonight we had to pick up the sleeping chickens outside and put them into the coop. Is there something we should be doing to make them want to go in the coop at night? Was it to soon to take the heat lamp away?

 

[whiteflare]

My chickens didn't know they were meant to be sleeping in the coop at first. We'd start off by leaving them in the coop for the day and taking them back indoors for the night, then when they were old enough to sleep outside, we just didn't come to take them back in. They didn't really know anywhere else to go at night, so stayed in the coop.

 

[amenning]

For the first two weeks he had them they were in the garage in a brooder. The second two week they were closed in the coop with heat lamps. For the past week and a half they have been in the coop with the door open during the day and they would always be back in the coop when the sun set. It is just the past couple days since I turned off the heat lamp they have decided not to go back in the coop at night.

 

[MsPony]

Stick a light in there, as soon as they are in, turn it off. My chickies won't go to their coop without a light, then I turn it off. Chickens are scared of the dark

 

[amenning]

Scared of the dark, what are they chicken. Sorry, I had to say it. I will give it a try, thanks.

 

[MsPony]

"Like"!!

 

[whiteflare]

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That's funny! I never knew that!

 

[DancingHen]

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I totally agree. My chickens are scared of the dark and won't enter a dark space. I have to turn out the light after they enter. Poor things. lol

 

[whiteflare]

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I totally agree. My chickens are scared of the dark and won't enter a dark space. I have to turn out the light after they enter. Poor things. lol

My chickens never had light. Only when they were up to about five weeks old did we give them a heat lamp, after that they were just left to nature, and they've never been afraid of the dark. As soon as the light starts to fade, they'll automatically make their way into the coop and come out in the morning. We've never had to go over there bar to feed them.

 

[Heckel's Hens]

So far, I just round up the ladies each evening and heard them in the coop. I clap my hands at them, and it's like Pavlov's dogs.....they hear that sounds now and go into the coop.