[DollyB]

Hi, my name is Dolly, I am very new at having chickens,my husband built me a lovely ark for our two Silkies which we have now had for six weeks but as they have come from a bungalow and now moved to a house, we have been putting them to bed and getting them up and downstairs in the mornings. We are now getting very concerned that after a couple of weeks of doing this, they still dont do it themselves, (we have now left them for a month to see if they have got the idea.) What do we do its getting very cold out there and we dont want our girls catching a chill, can anyone help us please. We have tried putting food on the rungs of the ladder and left food upstairs.

[Lewjam]

I suppose questions:

1) is does the coop have a ramp they can get up simply.  IE how do they get to the upstairs bit - is it steep, does it have gipper rungs?

2)also you mentioned getting them up in the morning?  All you should do is open the pop hole and let them get out them selves?  That way they know where home is.

3) If both of the above have been done, have you tried putting a torch in there turned on an 30mins orso before dusk.  The light will attract them in.

4) Do you have red mite issues - as birds will be reluctanct to go to bed if you have redmite

[DollyB]

thanks for your reply, we have tried all of those, they dont have red mite either, do you think we should carry on putting them to bed.

[Casey76]

They will eventually get around to putting themselves to bed.

I think it took my sabelpoots about 6 weeks!

So for now I would persist in picking them up, but perhaps you can try just putting them through the pophole (if you don't do this already), so they know this is the proper entrance to use

[Raven81]

Further to Lewjams post: Have you tried just opening the pop hole in the mornings to let them take themselves out?  They may need to "find" their own way and at least it is safer than leaving them to find their way in - if you see what I mean!
 What time are you letting them in/out?
I'm no expert (far from it) but this time of the year mine don't get up until around 9.30, we open the pophole and they get up shortly afterwards!

[Lewjam]

Further to Lewjams post: Have you tried just opening the pop hole in the mornings to let them take themselves out?  They may need to "find" their own way and at least it is safer than leaving them to find their way in - if you see what I mean!
 What time are you letting them in/out?
I'm no expert (far from it) but this time of the year mine don't get up until around 9.30, we open the pophole and they get up shortly afterwards!

Hehe do you have spotty teenage chooks that just want to stay in bed and listen to rock and roll?!?!
Mine get up at dawn, and moan and squark like hell if you dont let them out first thing!  - Currently around 7am.

[Raven81]

Hehe do you have spotty teenage chooks that just want to stay in bed and listen to rock and roll?!?!
Mine get up at dawn, and moan and squark like hell if you dont let them out first thing!  - Currently around 7am.

I think they might be! Now I have a funny image in my head, I shall have to watch them more closely! funnily the only morning they're up at 7 is on a Sunday.  Fortunately I work Sundays so have to run out in my dressing gown before getting myself sorted.