Chickens stopped going in coop at night

[Clonts23]

I have a flock of 13 ladies - three 2.5 yr old hens and 10 6mo old pullets who are laying. About a month ago 3 of the new pullets stopped going in the coop at night. Our coop set up has a “covered porch” but it is not predator secure outside of the coop at night. The porch is surrounded by walls with a the ramp going down and out into the run. These 3 pullets just pile on top of each other right outside of the door. I’ve gone out every night for the last month to put them securely inside after dark and they just won’t catch on. Any advice on what I can do?

There is plenty of roosting space inside, 2 different roosting bars, but one is higher than the other one. My only thought is that I noticed this behavior beginning when the new pullets outgrew being able to sleep all on 1 roosting bar and nobody wants to be the one on the (slightly) lower bar??

 

[Kaw-Liga]

Maybe something spooked them. Predator-proof again and again until they’re protected.

Make sure inside is free of parasites/splinters/mold.

Clean it all up and then physically tuck them in at night for as many nights as it takes for them to go in comfortably on their own.

Is it warm and dry?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Any photos of the roost set up? How many linear ft of roost do you have?

 

[Penpal]

When we had a nice set up of three roosts, one above the other, we discovered that nobody wants to sit on the lower roosts. The bigger hens are probably kicking them off the roost and they don't want to be in the lower status place. Put the lower roost as high as the higher roost.

 

[Tstraub]

Are you sure that the automatic door isn’t closing too early?