Are my girls different?!

[Morganharper]

I have 6 2-3 month old girls and I have just recently started letting them out in the yard. They stay pretty close to the coop but they NEVER GO BACK IN ON THEIR OWN! My neighbor has maybe 25 full grown hens and she literally yells "go home girls" and they all go home, meanwhile I'm catching each one to put them back inside. I heard they would start to go in once it began getting dark but so far that's not the case. Any suggestions?

 

[biophiliac]

Take a can with a little scratch or BOSS(Black oil sunflower seeds) with you to the run, shake it so the seeds make noise and give them a taste before you let them out. Do this for a few days to condition them to come for their treats at the sound. After that just shake the can and they will follow you right in. Good luck! ( Mine would follow me anywhere to that sound, just a conditioned response)

 

[biophiliac]

Remember yours are still young and at that age they may need you to remind them about bedtime, since they don't have older flock members to follow.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Mine know the yellow feed scoop.
They come from every corner at full speed when I have that.

They do ignore all other things I may be carrying though. Even the pink feed scoop.

 

[chickens really]

I herd my Birds in and make a chi-chi sound as I carry a long branch that I tap on the ground as I also say bedtime...It works like a charm.....

 

[WesleyBeal]

How long were they confined to the coop before being let out into the yard?

If they transitioned from the brooder to the coop+yard all at once, they may need to be locked in the coop for several days, and then given access to the yard.

Don't know the history of these birds so figured it was worth mentioning.