Why are they not going inside???

[Half-a-dozen]

I will try the routine thing. Thanks everyone for your helps and ideas.
I do appreciate it much!!!

 

[thndrdancr]

I suppose it depends on the various and individual chicken...I only have two, one would wander around all night if she could, even tho she cant see..and roost anywhere, even the ground, she just "plops" herself down, and its NOT safe.

My other one cries if she is not put to bed by a certain time. She will get absolutely nuts. I still have them inside as I have the pen but not the coop done, so bring them in at night. But my smart girl, unless I put her "in her box" she gets very upset by about 10. I tried to leave them out in the front hall tonite, as its scorching and they get mightly hot in that box, but no, couldnt do it. That crazy chicken cried and carried on and kept flying up and in her box, then the other chicken wouldn't fly in, so she was getting totally upset...

I know she will cry when I put her outside, but wont have a bit of a prob getting her to go "in" at night. The other chicken I would have a prob with if left to her own devices. Some seem to have an intense "Its dark and scary out here" sense where others are more blase and dont seem to know they might get "et".

 

[raisingkane]

Well, tonight is the FIRST night that everybody was inside when I went out to shut them in. It's taken 2 weeks. Usually someone is still out. I have a routine. I carry in the food and turn on the nightlight. Then I've been throwing a handful of baby chick scratch on a plate. The sound of all that pecking is a real motivator. Then I set the water in and close the door. I think they are finally getting the hang of it (me too).

 

[Kerr]

Mine did the same thing
At chicken bedtime....
I'd go outside and find my 6 chicks
huddled together in the corner of the pen
So I'd pick them all up and put them one by one
in the coop
They were always toasty warm huddling together but inside is safe sooooooooooo.......
They just got the point after a week and now when
they 're tired they just all go to bed
All I need to do is check the water and shut their
door

Kerri

 

[countrygirl4513]

Mine are doing as yours are. They are 14 wks old and they insist on sleeping out doors. Even in the rain. They acted so stupid. I had feared I had retarded chickens.I decided not to fight it and put them some roosts up. My run is completely fenced and cover netted. But I think the reason mine like it outdoors is because they can see the security light and they feel safer. But night before last a dog got to them, the light is broken, and we had 6 dead the next morning. So, take caution! I don't know what I will do yet. But first the light is suppose to be fixed. Then we will go from there.

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

Wow, that stinks! Tonight was the first night that, when I went to go put them in the henhouse, they had already gone in! We were later getting home than they usually are put to bed, though (I 'tuck them in' around 8 usually, tonight it was 9:30 when I locked the doors) Since they will be 5wks tomorrow, I've been really vigilant about going out to herd them in through the door (gotten to the point that when they see me at sunset they automatically head in). Sadly, last night the wind had blown their little door shut. When they saw me coming they ran to the coop door I enter by, chirping and peeping to tell me there was a problem! I opened their door up, and they filed in single file.. all but one. I called to her, and she headed in, too.

Since my group are still fairly young, if we have a 60-65 degree day, cool and damp, I don't let them out to play and leave them cooped up <sorry for the pun!> in the henhouse all day. They hate it, and will head for the people door when I go to check on them, but maybe that's why they KNOW they sleep there?

I do still have their light on out there, but they still settle down for sleeping.

I agree, maybe (if your weather is not too hot) leave them locked in the house for a few days so they get completely used to it, then let them out and herd them in at sunset? I don't carry my group in, only did the very first night, because I WANT them to realize that they need to go in (not wait for me to put them in). Kind of like human children, I figured if they had to do it on their own they'd learn faster. And so far so good.

Anyway, good luck to you! I can't imagine having to chase them around in near darkness!

-Meghan