New chicks in coop

[Kurtvonnecluck]

Just put my 6 hens, and 1 guinea (the tractor supply employee was supposed to have given me a Barred Rock, oh well), in their new, or refurbished, coop and run, but they’re sleeping on the ground. I can’t lock them in the coop, no door. Any suggestions?

Run has a layer of chicken wire secured across the bottom, and 1/4 inch hardware cloth 8 inches down around the bottom edge, so they’re secure.

 

[LaFleche]

Welcome to BYC!

How old are they?

 

[Kurtvonnecluck]

6 weeks

 

[LaFleche]

At 6 week of age they will soon learn to get up on the roost at night.
Maybe lower the roost at first so it will be easier for them.

Your guinea chick will need a flock of her/his own kind, I recommend to find it a new home soon.

It will be convenient to have a coop door that can be closed for more safety at night. You could build one and cover it with wire to ensure free ventilation.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum, glad you joined.

I'm not totally sure what your problem is. If you consider that run secure then they are as safe in the run as they are in the coop section as you don't have a door. Adding a door and locking them in at night would increase their security some, of course.

Since you mentioned Tractor Supply I'll assume you are in the US. Those photos look like spring has hit wherever you are. At 6 weeks they can handle whatever temperatures and weather you are likely to get, whether in or out of the coop.

If you are worried about them roosting, they should soon. My brooder raised chicks typically start roosting anywhere from 5 to 8 weeks of age with the absence of any adults. Each group is different, even in the same circumstances.

If you can explain your specific concern maybe we can address it better but I don't see any red flags there. Looks pretty nice to me.

 

[Kurtvonnecluck]

Thanks. Just trying to get them to roost. The bottom roosting bar is less than a foot from the floor of the coop, so should be low enough. Trying the luring them in with treats method, so we’ll see.

 

[Ridgerunner]

By three or four weeks mine have no problems flying up to my 5 feet high roosts. They will fly up there and perch during the day, just playing. The key is that they want to. If yours prefer to sleep on the ground for a while longer they will.

I don't bother doing this, I let them decide when they want to roost. But many people want them to roost so they go out there after it is dark and move them to the roost. If it is too dark for them to hop down they will stay up there. You don't have to put all of them up there, just a few. Once they see some roosting the rest usually follow pretty quickly. It usually only takes a few times doing this to train some of them to roost.

 

[Kurtvonnecluck]

Thanks!