Bedtime is a nightmare

[pennyJo1960]

then more like a camp trailer so hopefully not .. ours has a closet that is over outside storage mine is 20 or 30 years old we took the door off cut a whole under that closet gives another way that door we use it now to feed our three outside cats give them a dry place

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Sounds like less work than you're going through now.
Don't ducks go in on their own, too? I'd just wait till everyone put themselves to bed and lock them up in one trip.

My ducks don't go in unless rounded up and made to go in. They don't have the same instinct as chickens. Most ducks would rather be out, I think it's us humans who don't want them to become a night time snack so we provide them a shelter then force them to go into it.

 

[aart]

I had 3 'age' groups this spring/summer (main flock, older chicks, and 5wks younger chicks) and roost time did take forever, probably an hour or so. The younger groups had to stay out of coop until the older groups filled their crops and went up to roost, I watched this full scenario play out several nights to confirm that's what was happening. Normal pecking order stuff...I will never have 2 groups of chicks again. I just wait until full dark to do head count and lock up, but my birds are confined so safe from predators.

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

I had 3 'age' groups this spring/summer (main flock, older chicks, and 5wks younger chicks) and roost time did take forever, probably an hour or so. The younger groups had to stay out of coop until the older groups filled their crops and went up to roost, I watched this full scenario play out several nights to confirm that's what was happening. Normal pecking order stuff...I will never have 2 groups of chicks again. I just wait until full dark to do head count and lock up, but my birds are confined so safe from predators.

Observation is key! Good point!

 

[pennyJo1960]

Mine are like 4 age groups yes all in but younger down filling crops
older on their roost but getting dark about 7:30 close coop 9 or so locked inside for the night appears did not count heads one night a BC pullet dead by the door in the morning
once