Appenzeller Spitzhauben refusing the coop at night

[spindrifter]

Hi! I’m a fairly novice chicken keeper looking for some advice please
A little background first:
I hatched my first eggs (incubator) about a year ago and eventually ended up with 3 Barnevelders & 2 Pekin Bantams hens plus a Pekin Bantam Cockerel (very sweet but really no interest at all in the ladies - he’s more interest in my fluffy slippers !!)

I free range them in my large garden and they all sleep in the large coop at night.
So about 12 weeks ago I hatched 3 Appenzeller Spitzhauben (they are ridiculously adorable!) and they finally joined the main flock about 3 weeks ago, harmonious all free ranging. No issues, bossiness or scuffles at all.
But the chicks refuse to sleep with the rest in the coop at night - instead roosting in the rafters of my woodshed (which is open on the front). For 2 weeks I’ve taken them back into the coop every night, but they don’t seem to get the idea.

They’re perfectly capable of going into the coop - and wander in a few times / day - but at night they go to the rafters.

Do I continue putting the into the coop at night for the rest of their lives, or leave them in the wood shed ??
Ps: the coop isn’t fenced - it’s a raised coop in my garden.

 

[chickentrains]

Are you sure the others aren't bullying them off the roost? How big is your coop? Is there enough room on the roost for everybody?

If the shed is predator proof, I see no reason not to just leave them to sleep where they want.

 

[spindrifter]

The shed is unfortunately definitely not predator proof as the one side is completely open. The coop is plenty big enough - it’s supposed to accommodate up to 25 LF.
I haven’t noticed any bullying.
After reading a few other threads I’ve just ordered a solar light for the coop - don’t know if that may help ?

 

[rosemarythyme]

How many roost bars do you have? Adults may not want to share the roost with babies and may harass them off.

 

[aart]

The coop is plenty big enough - it’s supposed to accommodate up to 25 LF.

How big is that in feet by feet?
Pics would really help here.

After reading a few other threads I’ve just ordered a solar light for the coop - don’t know if that may help ?

I just use a battery operated puck light, turn it on an hour before roost time then turn it off when I lock up after dark. Usually only needed for a few nights.

 

[spindrifter]

How many roost bars do you have? Adults may not want to share the roost with babies and may harass them off.

Two long bars but they usually huddle together in the corner. So tonight I actually had a good look and listen once I put the babies in (with the new solar light on at low level). The biggest Barnevelder is squawking at the little ones a bit when I put them in - they just go and hide behind the other chickens who don’t seem mind though and it all seemed to settle down. Perhaps it will just take time ? Or should I be doing something else ?

So in total I have 3 Barnevelder hens almost a yr old, 2 Pekin (1 cockerel/1hen) & 1 Orpington Bantam hen - about 9 months old. And then the 3 Appenzeller girls.

 

[spindrifter]

How big is that in feet by feet?
Pics would really help here.

7ft6” long without the next boxes by almost 3ft deep. I checked again and it’s actually stated to accommodate 15 LF or 25 Bantams. I don’t plan on having any more chickens though!
So I’d have 3 Barnevelder, 3 Bantam and 3 Appenzeller.
This is the area they go to roost where I have to take them down from (the middle strut pallets). Definitely not predator safe.

I’ve used the little solar light tonight on low light level, hoping it would help them sort themselves out in terms of roosting spots.
How do others do it with chickens that completely free range without a run ?

 

[aart]

Two long bars but they usually huddle together in the corner. So tonight I actually had a good look and listen once I put the babies in (with the new solar light on at low level). The biggest Barnevelder is squawking at the little ones a bit when I put them in - they just go and hide behind the other chickens who don’t seem mind though and it all seemed to settle down. Perhaps it will just take time ? Or should I be doing something else ?

As long as everyone got to roost and noone got beat bloody, I'd let them work it out.

7ft6” long without the next boxes by almost 3ft deep. I checked again and it’s actually stated to accommodate 15 LF or 25 Bantams.

Not sure where you got your numbers,
but that's only 1.5sqft per birds, factory farm type spacing.

 

[spindrifter]

As long as everyone got to roost and noone got beat bloody, I'd let them work it out.

Just a few squawks from "Big Chick" and a bit of scuffling from the little ones, but that was it. No pecking etc.

Numbers come from the coop I bought on eBay - I just went by that to be honest. They use a very small portion of the coop to sleep in though and all just seem to huddle in one corner. Hoping it's OK for the 9 of them (3 of which Bantams)?

Though my main question is still how do I get the Appenzeller's to join the others at night? During the day they all "hang" together and there's no chasing or pecking that I've witnessed - there's a ton of space for them to roam, so no one gets in anyone's way if they want some space. I just can't imagine putting the Appenzellers to bed by hand each night for the rest of their lives will they just "get" it at some point?

 

[aart]

will they just "get" it at some point?

They should eventually.