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How do you get chickens to use their new coop?

Poll Results: How do you get chickens to use their new coop?

 
  • 11% (1)
    Eat the chickens and start over with new chicks.
  • 0% (0)
    Cut down all the trees in the area so they can't fly into the branches
  • 22% (2)
    Clip their wings
  • 44% (4)
    Bribe them with food
  • 22% (2)
    Other
9 Total Votes  
post #1 of 7
6/30/12 at 4:59pm
Thread Starter 

Hey there. How do you get chickens to use their new coop? I finished this coop a couple weeks ago, and I am tired of plucking our chickens from the trees at night. idunno.gif

 

Suggestions?

 

Getting chickens up the ramp with chicken feed

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post #2 of 7
6/30/12 at 5:09pm
Do you have a pen? You need to keep them in there pen so they learn to go into the coop at night, if not pen then you need to train them. I trained my girls early on to come when I call them with goodies in hand. They will follow me any where. I say... Where's my girls and they come running. They have been taught that when I say this I have treats so they follow me into the coop, or pen or where ever I want them to go. Then I give the treat. They go in to there coop or run on there own now at dusk, but if I need to leave and need them in there pen I just all them and in they go.
http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=VKLTUgfkcBs
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http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=VKLTUgfkcBs
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post #3 of 7
6/30/12 at 6:08pm
Thread Starter 

We do have a pen. The pen is approximately 5'6"... and because their wings are not currently clipped they can fly over it.
 

A stressed out graduate student enjoying life with 1 dog, 3 cats, [redacted] chickens, [redacted] rabbits, a garden, Jesus, and one super-amazing wife

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A stressed out graduate student enjoying life with 1 dog, 3 cats, [redacted] chickens, [redacted] rabbits, a garden, Jesus, and one super-amazing wife

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post #4 of 7
7/1/12 at 6:25am

Most of the books will tell you to leave them in the coop a couple days for them to consider it home. 

3 young Silkies, 1 Brittany bird dog, 1 Chihuahua mix, a ferrel kitty and me!

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3 young Silkies, 1 Brittany bird dog, 1 Chihuahua mix, a ferrel kitty and me!

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post #5 of 7
7/1/12 at 7:33am

I got a wire cover over my run.  It keeps them in and predators out and dont cause any harm to them.  I'm just sayin............

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post #6 of 7
7/1/12 at 8:43am

I originally had my baby chicks in our shed so they were kind of lost when we first introduced them to the new coop and run.   They spent all day in the run so happy but, when dusk approached they would just huddle together in a corner and chirp so I had to put them in the coop.  I took the advice I found on here and decided to keep them in the coop for 48 hours.  After that, I let them out but kept their food and water in the coop for 2 more days.  IT WORKED!  Every night since they have gone into their coop on their own (like clockwork) by 9:30 pm.  I just go out and shut the door and they are safe and snug.  Give it a shot...it should work . Good luck!

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post #7 of 7
7/1/12 at 6:56pm
Thread Starter 

This is the same thing that my wife suggested. She knows more than I do, and so that is what we are trying. Our first test was to leave them in for 3 days straight, and then kept feeding/watering them inside the coop... but they still ended up in the trees the first day we let them loose. So, we are leaving them in for a few more days. Hopefully it works this time roll.png
 

A stressed out graduate student enjoying life with 1 dog, 3 cats, [redacted] chickens, [redacted] rabbits, a garden, Jesus, and one super-amazing wife

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