Getting the hens back in the henhouse at night.....?

[seven acres]

Hi, I'm a newbie hen owner with my first four just arrived this week. Problem: three of the four don't want to spend the night in the henhouse. They'd rather perch on the fence or up a tree and I have to pick them up and place them in the henhouse. Is this normal? Any suggestions - they can't stay outside because we have foxes, coyotes and great horned owls around ? Thanks!

 

[chicken6465]

When you get new chickens make sure you leave them in a locked up pen for several days with food and water, they will get the hint and call it home

 

[CarolJ]

Yep - you have to lock them in the coop for a few days until they learn that's home and that's where they sleep at night. Then, when you let them out, they will head right back to the coop at dusk. It isn't mean to do that - it's necessary training - and it'll save you a lot of trouble and will protect your chickens from predators.

 

[CarolJ]

By the way - I kept mine locked in the coop for a full week when we got our new coop. They had plenty of room, food and water. I'm sure they would rather have been outside, but they learned where home is - and in the months since then, we've had absolutely no problems with them not returning to the coop at night.

 

[centrarchid]

When you get new chickens make sure you leave them in a locked up pen for several days with food and water, they will get the hint and call it home

Process above results in a form of imprinting. To decrease likelihood such birds will not drift when released, make so first releases occur late in day so birds stay close to opening until they become oriented on local landscape. If birds still fail to use coop, make sure it does not get dark to fast or be lacking in ventilation. My birds do not like going into very dark locations to roost and when it gets hot I must step up ventilation otherwise they are inclined to move to cooler location. Both needs can be met with simple opening of window but make certain still predator (raccoon or great-horned owl) tight.

 

[Roxannemc]

The ohters are probably more right but i had the same problem and the coop is a tractor coop so just for sleeping not being in all day...so for 3 or 4 nights i caught and carried each one to the tractor coop and put them in and made them stay closed the door then the 5th night as it got dark they all went in.....Have since.Mine have a pen though Not free ranging in the trees so mine were not too hard to catch..

 

[seven acres]

Thanks everyone for your replies! My mistake I see was in leaving them shut up in the coop for too short a time. They're in the coop now and there they'll stay for a few days.

 

[savannah777]

I'm so glad you asked this question.. My "girls" were raised in a sterile, enclosed envirornment and relished their freedom so much that they didn't want to go back in at night! This makes sense..Thanks so much!!