Chickens won't go in coop at night

[chickens really]

We have had them for a couple months now. EVERY SINGLE NIGHT they go in right before dark, we close the coop and let them out in the morning to free range. The past 2 nights we go up there to lock them in, and all of them ( 1 Full grown hen and 9 approximately 9 week old chicks) are up in an apple tree. The first night we climbed the tree to get them down and put them in the coop. (I have a "battle scar" from one of them scratching my forehead trying to get back up in the tree)

Any ideas why this would happen all of a sudden? Or how to change this habit? I've learned on here that they are apparently game birds.. had no idea when we got them. We were given them by a friend of a family member. Have also noticed they are fighting eachother ALOT which scares me.. bc I have kids and other animals. As little chicks, they were so sweet and just let my girls hold them. They still do, but I'm scared that might change and they might hurt them. TY In advance

Post pictures if you can?

 

[MysteryChik]

Sorry, a bit confused.. Pics of what?

 

[chickens really]

Sorry, a bit confused.. Pics of what?

I am Sorry. My computer/connection? acted up and I posted too you.
not sure what happened?
Disregard my comment.

 

[aart]

We have had them for a couple months now. EVERY SINGLE NIGHT they go in right before dark, we close the coop and let them out in the morning to free range. The past 2 nights we go up there to lock them in, and all of them ( 1 Full grown hen and 10 approximately 9 week old chicks) are up in an apple tree. The first night we climbed the tree to get them down and put them in the coop. (I have a "battle scar" from one of them scratching my forehead trying to get back up in the tree)

Any ideas why this would happen all of a sudden? Or how to change this habit? I've learned on here that they are apparently game birds.. had no idea when we got them. We were given them by a friend of a family member. Have also noticed they are fighting eachother ALOT which scares me.. bc I have kids and other animals. As little chicks, they were so sweet and just let my girls hold them. They still do, but I'm scared that might change and they might hurt them. TY In advance

Where are you located....is it hot?
Good ventilation in coop?
Do you have a run?

I'd lock them in the coop(and run if yo have one) 24/7 for a week, 'force' them to make a habit of roosting in coop.
No, they won't like it...they'll complain and act like they are gong to die if you don't let them out, but they be fine.
Sometimes chicken keepers have to manipulate the situation to create good safe habits in/for the birds.

 

[Poultry parent]

too many cockerels will fight if you post some pics of the birds someone might be able to tell you how many of them are roos and how many are pullets

 

[MysteryChik]

too many cockerels will fight if you post some pics of the birds someone might be able to tell you how many of them are roos and how many are pullets

Pic quality not real good.. hard to keep'em still

 

[Poultry parent]

it's hard to tell but it seems like maybe 1-2 are roos

 

[MysteryChik]

As my husband is heading out for work this evening, (around 7:30 pm) my neighbor comes to him apparently shaken from something he had saw around 2-3 pm this afternoon. Coming up right beside our property approximately 50 yards from my back door.. saw what he described as the "bigges d@mn coyote he has ever seen". Literally walking right by my car and around my dogs large outdoor kennel. They continue talking about it, and my neighbor said it could have been a wolf but if it was a coyote, as he seemed to think it was.. it would definitely be a "world record." Wondering if this may be what spooked the chickens... still roosting in the apple tree at night.. basically perched themselves one on top the other now.. four nights in a row.

 

[bobbi-j]

I don't know where you are located, but I'd be working on attaching a run to my coop ASAP,as it's only a matter of time before an owl or some other nocturnal tree climbing predator wipes them out. Then do as Aart said - lock 'em in for a week or so to reset their little chicken brains to going in the coop at night. They won't be happy, but they'll get over it. Some people will put a light in the coop to encourage them to come in when it starts getting dark outside.

ETA - the nice thing about having an attached run is, you can keep them locked up sometimes if you need to discourage a predator, or if you need to be gone for a few days or something. I also keep mine in when we have company visiting with their dogs.

 

[QGolden]

You might try putting a light in the coop, on a timer, so it turns on a half hour before you want them to go to bed and shuts off a half hour after you think they should be on roost. I have done that before to draw in hens that preferred trees to the coop. They are drawn to the light as it gets dark.