Any Suggestions for Bedtime?

[Ramsdale]

Quote:
I wish for that day!

 

[WilczenskiFarm]

Black Oil Sunflower Seed - I used these especially during winter... I would wait til they go to bed, then spread a bunch in their bedding so that way they have something to do when they wake up, but I haven't let them out yet (door's closed with inclimate weather).

Light on a timer... works well.

Wait a little longer... almost dark of night, you might still find them out there, but their sight is awful at night, they won't run from you (as much) and it seemed to scare mine enough that they put themselves in the next evening.

 

[chickie seal]

My 5 week olds go up the ramp to the coop at dusk, but they fight for space on the "porch." They won't go in and get on the roost until I put them there right before I go to bed. Then they stay all night.

 

[flgardengirl]

I put a small flashlight hanging from the ceiling of the coop. When it gets dark outside and the light is inside they will usually go in. It may take a few days but it should work. After a week or so you can take out the light.

 

[MrRushed]

The little ones and the Roosters that are at the bottom of the pecking order wait untill the hens and the Dominate rooster are all settled in before they even try to go in.
I think thier try to avoid a extra beating before bed.

 

[NewEnglandChick]

We had to do that with our first flock. Go out after dark and walk through the woods to find them each perched on a different tree root or stump, pick them up and put them in the coop on their roost. Finally, I locked them all in the coop for a week.

Since then we always keep them shut in their coop for their first week out. Then when we open the coop door to the run and practically have to push them out the first time. They're more reluctant to go out then to go in (since the coop is their safe, warm, dry home). Then after a week in their run we open the big door and they free range. When they've learned the coop is home and is safe, they'll return to it on their own. It's far easier than stumbling through the woods in the dark praying you'll find each and every chicken!!

Also, we have a light on a timer that comes on around dusk (about 8pm here on the East coast!) and goes off at about 10:30pm. (That's for me, so that I can have a light on when it's dark out and I have to go close them in!)

Good luck!

 

[Backyard_Chicken_rancher]

Ok it sounds to me as if your putting them to bed to early I let mine go in themselves for about the first week I had to push them in with a yard rake (the plastic kind it works wonders)but then one night I said I am just not gonna chase them tonight I wanna se what they do sure enough when the sun was down all the way they were in the coop squaking away I think it was who was gonna sleep where cause my three roos sleep togther and my hens all sleep togther but as soon as it is dark (no sun at all light of moon only) they are past out on their roost I did however have to show them they need to roost on the roost that took a lil longer lol.


Good luck

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
Great idea for folks who don't have power in their coops!!! I was just going to suggest putting a small light out there, and turning it off when you go check on them. Mine began putting themselves to bed as soon as they made it out to the coop and were allowed in the run. They seemed naturally attracted to the safely of the light as it got darker outside. Of course now they put themselves to bed without it. Light is a great training tool.

 

[KathyK]

Would a light in the coop help to get them up on the roost at night? Mine are 17 weeks old and still sleep on the coop floor. They get up on the roosts during the day. Someone suggested I put them on the roosts at bedtime, but the coop door is very large and they sleep right up against it. I don't want them falling out when I open the door.

 

[Crack N' Egg]

Someone once told me that when you move your chickens to an outside coop or a new home then you need to lock them in for about 2 or 3 days. That way they know its home and they will always come back. Especially if you intend to let them free range. With 2 different flocks of mine it worked both times.

good luck!!