8 week old pullets won’t go into coop at night

[BigBlueHen53]

How big is the interior of the coop? Does it allow four square feet per bird? You have five birds so you need 20 square feet of unencumbered floor space, not counting nests, waterers or feeders. If they are crowded, they won't go in. I can't tell from the pics. I agree with everyone else, it sure is a cute coop! But if it's too small that might be the problem. Hope you get this sorted out!

 

[ANiceKaren]

How big is the interior of the coop? Does it allow four square feet per bird? You have five birds so you need 20 square feet of unencumbered floor space, not counting nests, waterers or feeders. If they are crowded, they won't go in. I can't tell from the pics. I agree with everyone else, it sure is a cute coop! But if it's too small that might be the problem. Hope you get this sorted out!

The coop itself is pretty small.. definitely not four feet per bird BUT the run is really big… plus free ranging a few hours a day. Maybe the size of coop is the issue..? Honestly they would be safe on top. My run has three small coops completely secure by a very good size run which has a metal, solid roof.. even if those coops were left open my run is extremely secure. I just like the added security of locking them inside the coop. Well hmmm… I can’t make this coop larger. Another option is splitting them up into the other coops but they may not enjoy that because they are so bonded. I have a larger coop in the run that they can eventually sleep in but now it’s taken by two big girls and they aren’t fully integrated yet… we will figure out someway! Haha!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Yeah, that's my best guess as to why they won't go in the coop at night, it's just too small. I'm sorry! But as long as they are safe on top of it, you probably don't need to worry. Soon you will be able to integrate them into the other coop. Whoever designs those pre-fabs and decides how many chickens will fit, must use chickens from the meat dept, not live hens!

 

[McChooky]

So they are now almost 11 weeks and STILL won’t go into their coop at night… they insist on sleeping in the roof. I carry them in every night I’m seriously debating about just letting them roost on top… my run is completely secure and covered.. I just don’t know why they don’t like the coop

My young pullets were slow about going in the coop on their own at night and their coop WAS their brooder so there was no adjustment period for them.They have a upper level with a large poop board in front of a big window where they can see outside and they have lower roosts without any vents or windows .They roost both places depending on what mood they're in. I think they instinctively prefer being outdoors and if I ever get the run secure enough I'll let them stay overnight in it sometimes. It's only been in the last month that they've started going inside after dark without being bribed,encouraged or carried lol. They still refuse to in without a light. Originally I gave them a bright light but I reduced it to a 40 watt .Now I keep a 15 watt inside 24/7. (18 weeks old pullets)

 

[McChooky]

Hi friends!
I have 5, 8 week old pullets that just refuse to go into coop by themselves at night. Instead they prefer to roost on the top of it! Every night at the same time I go out there and they are all roosting on top versus going inside. This has been a week now! Ha! I don’t mind taking them down nightly and putting them in (which is what I’m doing) but I’d prefer them to go inside themselves. I have a nightlight so they can see and a small roost inside the coop as well. It’s not as high as the top of coop though which maybe is why? Any tips?! They have been outside in run/coop area with supervised free ranging for 4 weeks now so are used to the area for sure. For the record my run is very safe and the top of coop is secure but I’d still like them inside. First pic is them on top of coop and second is run area… their coop is yellow in back. It’s seperated from big girls area by chicken wire. Any advice is appreciated!

You may have to block access to the roof to get them off because chickens will roost in the highest place they can reach. A lot of peoples chickens roost in their nest boxes and mess up the eggs because their roosting bars are set too low.

 

[3KillerBs]

In addition to the size of the coop, it may be hot and stuffy in there -- unless there is a lot more ventilation than shows in the photos.

Also, chickens naturally want to roost on the highest point they can access so if the roost in the coop is, as the photos seems to show, near the floor, they don't see it as a good roosting space.

 

[ninja333pirate]

are your older hens particularly mean? I successfully introduced several chicks (inlcuding 4 bantam) to my flock at at around 8-9 weeks old. what I did was stick them in a crate inside the run for a week then I put a ton of clutter in (pallets along walls kept the dog crate etc) so they have places to hide and eat and drink out of sight. everything went well. after a few pecks to each one of them to establish pecking order everyone is intermingling quite well, the chicks still hang out together but they are not getting chanced down by the older girls as the chicks learned to avoid them right away.

fyi a month before I introduced the one chicks I had introduced 2 silkie chicks to the flock and they are even sleeping with the big girls now, and when I introduced the younger chicks I also introduced 2 1.5 year old hens and they all seemed to figure out their pecking order quickly.

 

[ANiceKaren]

are your older hens particularly mean? I successfully introduced several chicks (inlcuding 4 bantam) to my flock at at around 8-9 weeks old. what I did was stick them in a crate inside the run for a week then I put a ton of clutter in (pallets along walls kept the dog crate etc) so they have places to hide and eat and drink out of sight. everything went well. after a few pecks to each one of them to establish pecking order everyone is intermingling quite well, the chicks still hang out together but they are not getting chanced down by the older girls as the chicks learned to avoid them right away.

fyi a month before I introduced the one chicks I had introduced 2 silkie chicks to the flock and they are even sleeping with the big girls now, and when I introduced the younger chicks I also introduced 2 1.5 year old hens and they all seemed to figure out their pecking order quickly.

I only have two big girls and one is kind of a bully but not particularly mean.. only gets bullying when treats/foods are around. I was planning on having them in run together this weekend when I could supervise them. They have been side by side in run for weeks now and successfully free ranging together for weeks as a well… my next step was to have them in same run and coop this weekend.

 

[ANiceKaren]

Yeah, that's my best guess as to why they won't go in the coop at night, it's just too small. I'm sorry! But as long as they are safe on top of it, you probably don't need to worry. Soon you will be able to integrate them into the other coop. Whoever designs those pre-fabs and decides how many chickens will fit, must use chickens from the meat dept, not live hens!

Haha! You’re so right! I got this coop for free and bought a prefab coop before I knew better! Now I have a hodgepodge of small coops but a very nice run! Haha.. live and learn I suppose! Yes… this coop and hold “4-6 chicken.. nuggets” that’s about it…

 

[ninja333pirate]

I only have two big girls and one is kind of a bully but not particularly mean.. only gets bullying when treats/foods are around. I was planning on having them in run together this weekend when I could supervise them. They have been side by side in run for weeks now and successfully free ranging together for weeks as a well… my next step was to have them in same run and coop this weekend.

I would definitely say they are ready, I kept my last batch of chicks in a dog crate for a week then released them all together, the key that I believe helped them integrate enough to cohabitate was keeping the crate in the run so they had their own little place and to put a lot of things in there to break line of sight (I leaned a bunch of pallets around the run) and to keep several food and water sources around the coop. I also found having a separate perching area in the coop for the chicks so they can be off on their own helps too (if there is not enough perching space for them to keep their own space).