Five pullets, second night as a chicken keeper. Night #1 I had to grab each girl and put her in the coop by hand, and I sat there until the auto-door closed. A little stressful for all of us.
So I did my internet sleuthing and read that putting a small light inside the coop before dusk will encourage them to go in on their own. So I grabbed a cheap plastic battery-powered tealight (warm, soft light) and popped it in there about an hour before the door shuts.
I waited... patiently... peeking at the coop cam every 10 minutes or so... hmmm, no movement.
AND THEN!
At around 5 minutes until door close time, suddenly one girl hopped up onto the ladder. Another followed. There was some jostling at the door, and a third started coming up too. They went inside, #4 followed, and #5 came barreling in after. There was a bit more jockeying for position (miss #5 got booted out entirely once -- guess we know how the pecking order is going) and then they were all in. No movement on the cam.
The door closed. Perfection.
Postscript:
Yes, I went out and quietly removed the light. They were all huddled up together and I probably woke them up, but they'll settle again I'm sure.
You're the only people who could possibly understand my elation that this little light did the trick. I don't know if I'll need to repeat it or not, but I am SO glad it worked!
So I did my internet sleuthing and read that putting a small light inside the coop before dusk will encourage them to go in on their own. So I grabbed a cheap plastic battery-powered tealight (warm, soft light) and popped it in there about an hour before the door shuts.
I waited... patiently... peeking at the coop cam every 10 minutes or so... hmmm, no movement.
AND THEN!
At around 5 minutes until door close time, suddenly one girl hopped up onto the ladder. Another followed. There was some jostling at the door, and a third started coming up too. They went inside, #4 followed, and #5 came barreling in after. There was a bit more jockeying for position (miss #5 got booted out entirely once -- guess we know how the pecking order is going) and then they were all in. No movement on the cam.
The door closed. Perfection.
Postscript:
Yes, I went out and quietly removed the light. They were all huddled up together and I probably woke them up, but they'll settle again I'm sure.
You're the only people who could possibly understand my elation that this little light did the trick. I don't know if I'll need to repeat it or not, but I am SO glad it worked!
It's been my process for 20years. I have electricity in my coop though so it's easy. I turn the light on when i let them out every morning. Then shut it off when I lock them up at night. The light get's them in there earlier than sundown so they are safe from predators who come out before sunset.
