Are My Chickens DUMB?

[in2camo]

So my little bundles of energy are about 2 months old now. I put them out in the coop almost two weeks ago and they love all the new freedom. I put straw down today and they love it.

Here's the question, though. I put them in the coop for two days, just so they knew where their bed was.

But the won't go in there at night on their own. I have tried to let them do it on their own, but when they haven't gone in by 10pm or so, I have to get in there and put them in. Will they figure it out eventually?

 

[junebuggena]

I still have to shoo mine into their coop some nights and they've been in there been out there for a month now. They naturally want to seek out shelter at sundown. That's the time you should be heading out to make sure they are all cooped up, not 10:00. Chickens have almost no night vision, so trying to get them into a dark coop in the dark will not be helping their transition along.

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

X2 in getting out there around dusk. Also because of their horrible night vision they may not be able to see the coop or it's just too dark and scary. Do you have a light in the coop? Leaving it on around dusk will encourage them to go in when it gets dark out.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

A light in the coop in the evening should make a difference. They don't like going into places where they can't see. As they're naturally attracted to light, they'll go in on their own as it begins to get dark outside.

Just turn off the light when you lock them up in the evening. Doing that for about a week should condition them them automatically go in when it begins to get dark outside.