Bedtimes and Reluctant Chickens

[HollyHens]

I have 6 ex-battery hens and one cockerel who all happily graze the garden throughout the day.
They use the coop to lay eggs but spend 90% of time outside.
I keep reading posts on well-behaved chickens who put themselves to bed, but I often have quite a task on my hands, ushering them out of bushes and picking up the more stubborn ones.
There is one good girl who I will often find perched up and ready to sleep.
Are there any tips on getting them into the coop by themselves or at least with less hassle? Even shaking the food container doesn’t work anymore!
Thanks x

 

[21hens-incharge]

Did you "home" them to the coop before allowing ranging?

Homing them means confining in a run attached to the coop (with access to both of course) for a week or more to train them that's where to sleep.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

Not sure if your coop is large enough for this, but have you tried locking them in for a week or so to try to reprogram them that they are supposed to sleep there?

 

[3KillerBs]

What time are you trying to put them to bed?

In addition to needing to be homed to their coop, it's common for us humans to think that chickens should go to bed earlier than the chickens want to go to bed.

Other common problems are that the coop is too hot, too stuffy/ill-ventilated, or too small. Or than a dominant chicken is refusing to let the others in.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

I don't suppose you have electricity in the coop or can you run an extension cord? When the coop is super dark and so is the outside, why bother to go in there especially when they can't see very well.... I find that turning a light on in the coop makes it more desirable than the outside. I shut it off when they're situated.

 

[Paz]

I would get them in before it's getting dark. Then give them dinner. They MUST like their chicken feed, you can also throw it in different spots eventually leading inside to a big meal!
I have 5 ex batteries and they LOVE layer feed, in the garden, they would try and look for whatever, they get rice and vegetables too, but once they see someone going to the layer feed container, they would follow and try getting the food before the human gives it to them. They really like layer feed. They prefer eating layer feed over eating worms and insects (unlike the others).

 

[aart]

I don't suppose you have electricity in the coop or can you run an extension cord? When the coop is super dark and so is the outside, why bother to go in there especially when they can't see very well.... I find that turning a light on in the coop makes it more desirable than the outside. I shut it off when they're situated.

Yeppers, you can use a battery powered puck light too.

 

[HollyHens]

Thank you for all of your help so far.
They did have a few days in the coop before free ranging them but maybe not enough.
If I’m giving them dinner, should I feed less in the morning? They absolutely love layers mash. Didn’t know what to do with pellets, so mash it is.
The coop is an old shed that we converted with roosts and egg boxes so should definitely be big enough. I’ll try to attach a picture.
I will also try the lighting idea and have a nice battery powered light I can use.
I’ll let you know how they get on.
Thank you so much everyone x

 

[TX Chick Noob]

If you only locked them up for a few days when you got them so would definitely put them in longer. What I have seen recommended the most is about a week.

Have you tried sprinkling their mash with some whole pellets? So the end up eating both together? Might help them make the connection that they pellets are good too.

 

[21hens-incharge]

I keep mine confined to coop and run until they consistently go to sleep in the coop several nights in a row.
Then I allow free range just an hour or 2 before dusk for a week so they don't wander to far.
After that mine tend to head to the coop on their own.

Well...that was before hawks and owls moved into my neighborhood to stay. Now no more roaming.