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PinkToothbrush

Putting new hens to bed

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Hi everyone - I'm new, both to this site and to chicken keeping, so am looking forward to learning a lot from you all.

 

We picked up our two hens today and I'm a little bit worried about them as they don't seem to understand how to get into their coop (which is raised off the ground with a little ramp going up from inside their run). It's quite dark here now and they're just crouching underneath it on the grass. Please forgive my ignorance but do you think I should just leave them to it, or try to encourage them to go inside? They seem quite calm & content and are making talkative little noises every so often.

 

Thanks for your help.

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Hello and welcome to the forum.

 

Can you lift them into the coop?

 

It might be a bit cold if you were to leave them out overnight.

 

Perhaps if you leave a torch switched on in the coop for a while they might be attracted to the light and follow it.

 

I love your avatar! :lol:

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I'm a little bit worried about them as they don't seem to understand how to get into their coop (which is raised off the ground with a little ramp going up from inside their run). It's quite dark here now and they're just crouching underneath it on the grass. ... do you think I should just leave them to it, or try to encourage them to go inside?

 

I have had Hilda and Evadne for three weeks. The first night, I had to help them into the eglu. The second and third night, I had to shine a torch on the eglu door, so they could see what they were aiming at. (Opening the eggport and shining a torch inside the eglu didn't work but has worked for other people, I read here.)

 

After that, they have managed to find the eglu door themselves every evening.

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We have only had our 4 girls since Friday. the first night 2 put themselves to bed and we ended up catching the other 2 and putting them in the cube. Last night 3 girls put themselves to bed and we had great fun chasing the 4th one to put her to bed. Tonight they all went to bed by themselves.

 

So, I would say put them in the house and keep an eye on them for the next few days to make sure they get the idea. They will work it out.

 

We have been piling out of the house straight after tea to make sure they go to bed! :D

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They huddled under the raised coop again tonight, so again hubby picked them up and put them at the top of the ramp so that they could see where to go. The torch thing didn't work (but then, it is pretty cold so he didn't try it for very long!)

 

Yours all seem to have got the idea very quickly - maybe ours are a bit dim (we have two very dim cats as well so it must be something to do with their owners) :?

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I was a little surprised the 2nd night to be honest when they went in themselves as they seemed to have no idea the first night lol was hard grabbing them in that low part of my run too! Hubby wouldn't let me have highroof all along as rotary line would get in the way lol

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Hiya all

I've had my three girls for 9 days now, they tuck themselves away no probs but every night I have to go out and 'shove' them out the nest box! There's always at least one in there in the morning - can't blame them tho......it does look cosy!!

Looks like it's pooey eggs for me :roll:

Never mind

They're worth it

Adi

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Thanks all. PennyTikkaNoodles - this evening we left the torch in there and after about 20 mins of looking a bit confused they got the idea - thank you! Hoping that tomorrow they'll manage it by themselves but if not will keep on with the torch.

 

Shaky - mine get in the nesting box and poo in it overnight, too!

 

Should we be putting different bedding in the nesting boxes to in the coop or do you all tend to use the same in both?

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Hi PinkToothbrush,

 

Welcome to the forum, I'm just so relieved that your girls are getting the hang of taking themselves of to bed! Re the nesting box - one of my girls sleeps and poos in the nesting box at night. At 1st I got quite worried about it and started to put a football in the nest box, but she only sat on top of the ball and still pooed in the box! Then I found out from this great forum that I wasn't alone and other eggsperts had chooks that did the same and just renewed the bedding 1st thing in the morning, which is what I do now.

 

Enjoy your girls and of course the eggs,

 

Rosie

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Hi all - you were right, last night they put themselves to bed with no help, and this evening we happened to be watching when they did it :) They were so funny - wandered in and out a few times before they settled down for good (think they were checking all the potato skins I'd given them earlier had been eaten!) It was still technically daylight when they actually settled down, about half an hour before dusk.

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