# Getting chickens back in the coupe?



## RebStew (Aug 23, 2013)

New to this and just got going. I bought 10 chics 3 weeks before Easter. 2 weeks ago I put them in the coop and kept the water and food in there with them for 7 days. I put the food outside and opened the door. They made it out to their new fenced in yard but at night they stay out there. I have to get them and put them back in the coop. I figured at night when it was cold they would go back up and get in. Is this normal? Should I just leave them out? Will they sooner or later make their way in? I'm worried that a critter may get one or all at night. Please overlook this if it's a real stupid question. Like I said I'm new to the chicken stuff..


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

Keep them locked up in the coop for a longer period? 7 days may not be long enough.

Mine were raised in the coop. When they were fully feathered I open the chicken door to the secured run. When it starts to get dark out they all go back into the coop by themselves.

If I'm outside to keep an eye on them I let them free range. And as soon as it starts to get dark, back to the coop(thru the run) they go without any help from me.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

They're just babies and don't know what is expected of them. IMHO they're too young to be let out into a yard unsupervised and for extended periods of time. I didn't let mine outside until they were fully feathered and that was only for a very short supervised time and then they had to come back in. 

In our setup, we have an enclosed hen house (with roosts over a raised poop tray). The entire bottom of the hen house has about a foot of pine shavings. The hen house sits inside the chicken coop. The chicken coop sits inside an area fenced with goat wire. 

Our chicks stayed down in the pine shavings near the brooder light (even when it wasn't on) for a very long time. Even though they climbed over everything, they were probably four months old before they discovered the roosts.

It sounds like you have a 4' high fenced yard for them and inside that yard is the chicken coop. I'm also assuming the chicken coop is enclosed and has a brooder light (if they still need the heat) as well as a sleeping area for them.

Back to your question. Is you still insist on leaving them outside while they're still so young, you're going to have to physically put them back in the coop until they learn that's home and that's where they must be at night. 

The way I got the chicks back inside the hen house was to put a regular red light bulb in the brooder light (they already knew the brooder light provided warmth and comfort and it was just too warm to turn on the brooder light). I turned on the light just before I wanted them in the hen house. I picked up the stragglers and put them inside. It took about a week and then they started going in by themselves. After a few weeks I quit using the red light.

The caveat is our chicks were fully feathered before they were allowed to roam freely around the fully enclosed (and protection) coop. Only after they were big enough not to slip through the goat wire fence were they allowed to go into that area for short periods of time. Now they free range and know when to be back inside the goat wire and how soon after that to be in the chicken coop. At dusk they're up on the roost.

Keep in mind predators don't always come around on four legs - hawks and owls are also a big threat. Depending on the size of the chicks, rat snakes can slither in for a tasty treat. 

You're not punishing them by keeping them in the coop. You're keeping the babies safe until they're old enough to recognize danger.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

They are really still too young to know. 

Keep them confined for a few more weeks and they will know the coop is "home" and go in by themselves when it starts to get dark.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Chickens in the car is a no-no (sorry, couldn't resist "coupe" )

What everyone else said though. Remember that in a "natural" situation the chicks would have their mom to look after them and they would follow her around and use her for a heat source. Without that it is up to you until they get a bit older, brood lamps at first, then just slowly teaching them things. Make sure they know their coop inside and out, have roosts available and think of it as their "safe place", then they will be most comfortable there but don't worry they will still range as much as they are allowed when they are old enough.


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## RebStew (Aug 23, 2013)

Coupe, Coop. I get it, yea I am a car nut by the way. Thanks for the info guys. It helps.


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## crabapple (Jan 1, 2012)

We have no problem with our birds coming home.
It is the birds from other farms that we have problems with, Guinness mostly.


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## RebStew (Aug 23, 2013)

As for the critters we have all kind here. Tons of hawks. This was the first critter to meet his maker. Looks like he's smiling doesn't it. 

4 am the Chow Chows were going nuts. The male caught the **** next the coop. The male was doing alright but I let the female out to get the job done faster. Together it was their first protective kill. This picture was taken about 6 hours after the kill. They would still go back to it and give it a shake.


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

cowboyhermit said:


> Chickens in the car is a no-no (sorry, couldn't resist "coupe" )


My initial response on how to get chickens in the coupe was to yell "first one in rides shotgun".......oh, I wanted to.... I really wanted to......


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

crabapple said:


> We have no problem with our birds coming home.
> It is the birds from other farms that we have problems with, Guinness mostly.


Don't you just hate it when beers wander over on their own.... wait.... that wasn't a Freudian slip????

SHOTGUN!!!!


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## RebStew (Aug 23, 2013)

Country Living said:


> My initial response on how to get chickens in the coupe was to yell "first one in rides shotgun".......oh, I wanted to.... I really wanted to......


A little bashing is okay but two within a hour or so. Sorry for my lack of education. I'm pretty proud person but not well educated other than how to treat people. I figured I was some what safe on here. I guess not. I'll be moving on. I did enjoy it while I was here though.


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## cowboyhermit (Nov 10, 2012)

Nobody was questioning your education or intelligence, I sure don't take spelling seriously in the slightest. It was just a mental picture that was amusing, same with the guiness/guineas. 

Do you think it's fair to react that way to some people trying to have some good natured fun without realizing it would bother anyone? If I make a mistake I like to laugh about it sometimes, I had no way of knowing you were not the same way. 

Anyways I am sorry that my pun upset you.


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## txcatlady (Sep 26, 2013)

Had a hen go broody for two weeks. Bought six chicks Friday and dropped in nest with her. She pecked them a few times and they settled right in under her. Got off nest Saturday and keeps chicks right with her. They are under her or on her back. No lights, no box or keeping in house. I will keep her separated for a week or so from rest of flock by dividing coop with chicken wire. She raised 13 a few years ago like that. Rooster may be shooting blanks as none have hatched from him. Gotta give him credit for trying! Not chicks I wanted but three are red pullets. The others will be butchered this summer as they are meat birds. Love it when it all falls in place!


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## txcatlady (Sep 26, 2013)

Hard to buy pullets here now as they are on six weeks back order and ten dollars shipping. Got these at Tractor supply and they were the last for the year.


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

Country Living said:


> My initial response on how to get chickens in the coupe was to yell "first one in rides shotgun".......oh, I wanted to.... I really wanted to......


Had to read that a few times... here it's 'Last one in rides shotgun'. Last one in opens the gates .


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

cowboyhermit said:


> It was just a mental picture that was amusing, same with the guinness/guineas.


I as well had the lovely picture of free-ranging Guinness wandering into my yard...oh, that would be heaven!! I would never move, no matter what!


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## Wellrounded (Sep 25, 2011)

LincTex said:


> I as well had the lovely picture of free-ranging Guinness wandering into my yard...oh, that would be heaven!! I would never move, no matter what!


Mmmmmm yes please. It's all for the vitamin B of course. :cheers:


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

RebStew said:


> A little bashing is okay but two within a hour or so. Sorry for my lack of education. I'm pretty proud person but not well educated other than how to treat people. I figured I was some what safe on here. I guess not. I'll be moving on. I did enjoy it while I was here though.


Sorry... didn't mean to offend. Bad me....


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## PrepN4Good (Dec 23, 2011)

Gotta develop a thick skin to cruise the internet, RebStew...if this good-natured ribbing bothers you, my advice is to keep away from the Politics & Religion sections...!! 

Anyhoo...when my chickens were wee tots & didn't know what to do, I had to show them. Like their first night in the hen house, I came out in the morning to find them all huddled in a corner on the floor. So the next night, I gathered 2 of them & plunked them on the roost. The next morning, all of 'em were roosting with no problem. 

Same thing with getting them to come in at night. If they know there's food in the pen, & they're used to sleeping there, they'll wander in on their own when it starts to get dark.


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## LincTex (Apr 1, 2011)

I have one that likes to sit on top of the mesh...

I also had a Red Star that roosted WAAAAY UP in the trees!!


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## Country Living (Dec 15, 2009)

Hope the nest wasn't up there also.....


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