Any ideas why my flock is not going in the coop at night?

[bzender]

Just a few days ago my 7 hens and banty rooster stopped going in the coop at night... They go to the door but dont go in. The coop sits up about 3ft and there is a ladder/ramp for them and that is where they have been sleeping. They have a yard about 30x30 all day and a 30x6 run built off the coop. I got lights so they would stay up later on these short days and keep egg production up. They were staying out till 530 in early october before the lights, then early november they were up till 830-9 with lights. then two weeks ago jumped to around 11 and now I dont know when they go to bed.

 

[chickyfuzz]

Maybe something in the pen scared them?

 

[cluckcluckluke]

Check them for mites.

Also go in at night with a torch and check for red mites.
They wont go in if the mites are discomforting them.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Just a few days ago my 7 hens and banty rooster stopped going in the coop at night... They go to the door but dont go in. The coop sits up about 3ft and there is a ladder/ramp for them and that is where they have been sleeping. They have a yard about 30x30 all day and a 30x6 run built off the coop. I got lights so they would stay up later on these short days and keep egg production up. They were staying out till 530 in early october before the lights, then early november they were up till 830-9 with lights. then two weeks ago jumped to around 11 and now I dont know when they go to bed.

Cluckcluckluke has a good suggestion. if they have mites they need individual treatment and then the house must be thoroughly cleaned an then sprayed with Carbaryl, Neem, or Pyrethrin. Then it must be resprayed at least two more times using the recommended interval for the particular spray, and the chickens will require individual retreatment at the recommended interval, at least two more times.

The other possibility is that they just don't want to go in the chicken house. You should also consider using the additional lighting in the morning, and not in the evening since they use the decline in light to help determine their bedtime.

I have some that go in the coop, and then come out after a while to sit on the ledge outside the coop. I just let them do it.

 

[bzender]

Thanks for the suggestions everyone, didnt think about mites. Would they still go in to lay eggs if it were mites bugging them?