4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[Dorset Chick]

We introduced 2 new 17 week old Buff Orpingtons last week to our only surviving Sussex.

We first tried with just one but she was being bullied by our 'eldest' so we quicky went to get one of her sisters!

Bhuna, the eldest, was pecking alot at first but this has now calmed down and she seems quite accepting of the new girls. Being sisters they are glued to each other which is quite sweet. All three are out of the run in the day but still confined to their own fenced-off area and they are tolerating each other.

The main problem though is that the new ones are not going into the eglu at night and are sleeping huddled together at the end of the run.

 

Is there anything I can, or should, do to get them into the eglu?

Or will they eventually go in when they are ready to?

 

I don't really want to chase/catch and close them in at night as this would prove difficult and quite distressing for the girls...

 

Any advice would be appreciated as I am quite concerned now that the nights are getting colder.

[sjp]

the 2 new ones sticking together is normal my 3 youngsters still do that and I've had them since the end of June

the best way to get them into the coop if they won't go in with a little coaxing is to either shine a torch from the rear of the coop or wait until the girls or sleepy just after dark then pick them up and put them inside.

I got lucky with mine I only had to put them in the first night I just have to stand in the run now to stop the big girls from standing in the doorway but I've only had all 5 sleeping together for a week

[Egluntyne]

They will get the hang of it eventually. My new exbatts had to be coaxed into the Eglu on the first night. I lifted two out via the run door and posted them in through the pop hole, and nudged the other two in with a broom.

 

If you lift them to the Eglu for a couple of nights, they will get the idea.

 

Welcome to the forum.

[Plum]

Perhaps they are nervous of your old girl who has already gone in