10 week olds will not come in at night

[2468Chickensrgr8]

I have a flock of 20 hens and four of them are 10 weeks old ....just recently their mother gave them the boot and now after spending each day of their lives in the coop and roosting .... they have decided to sleep in a tree in the coop yard.....which is not covered ......they're my typical "teenagers" and jump the fence to venture out on their own but come running when its scrap food time....
My question is how am I going to get them to realize being in the coop is safer and warmer.....I close the door at night.....I cannot reach them in the tree when they roost at night...need your help....should i try putting them in a old dog crate before dusk and then putting them on the roost in the dark?....thanks

 

[Tuffoldhen]

I'd try what you have suggested for yourself. Catch them all right before dusk and lock them in with the others. Might try throwing in some treats in the henhouse for acouple days in the late evenings if they are use to getting those.

 

[HorseFeathers]

I agree with Tuffold. Eventually they'll learn.

What breed are they? Some roost in trees more than others.

 

[scooter147]

Follow your suggestion and they will go in on their own.

My guess is that the other hens are bullying them when they attempt to roost in the henhouse. The mother hen can be the most vicious.
I have a mixed breed hen who is a wonderful broody and even a better mother but when she determines they are able to be on their own and boots them from her care she is a complete and total b***h to them!!!! especially at night, she maybe on the top rung and her brood on the bottom rung, she will go out of her way to try and drive them from the roost, relentless she is.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

They're part Ameracana(spelled wrong)mostly black with some white and their surragate mother is a little bantam...and yes she was a very good mom ...she protected them from all the other big girls and she taught them everyting but now she's back to laying and as you said she goes out of her way to let them know she wants nothing to do with them..and their alot bigger than her now......Do you think I should put up another roost in the coop?
Thanks so much for your help....I have to go get that ole dog cratre out now....

 

[Tuffoldhen]

Another roosting area might help if you have room. The older girls can really be mean to younger chickens and not allowed them access to the roosts. Some young chickens just find weird places to roost at night away from the older hens.

 

[scooter147]

Do you have just one roost? If so, You might try putting another one up at least temp., away from the older hens.

I have three chicks that are about 3 months old and they roost around the edge of a 5 gallon bucket as the big girls don't think they are big enough to roost with them yet. I have two 8 foot long 2x4's that don't have any chickens on them but when these chicks try to roost on these boards the hens hop down to drive them off, especially their moma.

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

The coop is about 12 feet long by 3 feet....has a screened window and two roosts a short one ( 3 feet) and long one ( 9 feet).....I have room to put one temporarly in front of the window but once winter comes I woundn't want them to have a draft on them( I cover the window in plexy glass during the winter .Maybe I should start singing "why cant we be friends ?" who sings that? hahahaha!

 

[2468Chickensrgr8]

Well earlier on this evening when it was still light out I went down to the coop and the four"teenagers" were already roosting in the tree....tons of branches on this tree ..all the other girls were enjoying there evening stroll around the yard.....so using a broom I got them down and placed them into the wire dog crate and put a piece of 2 by 4 in it so they could perch and then i waited till dusk and I placed each one on the roost all together ...just went and took a look at them and everyones okay ....cross your fingers....