Birds suddenly aren’t going into coop at night anymore

[Ltvo]

Need some solutions from the chicken experts out there... I have eight hens but two flocks. Four were hatched March 2019 and four were hatched this past March and although they mingle out of necessity they also stick within their own flock especially when sleeping. The newer flock originally slept in the chicken run on the roof of a TSC chicken coop that was was given to me with the girls at 4 months old (they were re-homed with me). I easily taught them how to roost in the 10x8 coop with the older hens once the weather got colder in Oct

We just added an automatic coop door 2 weeks ago and all was super!! Then suddenly, 2-4 birds aren’t going in at dusk (but go in/out easily all day long) and are getting closed out of the coop so I then have had to chase them through a 3’ high 12’ long chute from the run into the coop...groan and I must look ridiculous trying to do it. It’s not always the same birds either

This is happening every night now. The birds are settling back on the TSC roof if they are the newer flock or on that coop door if the older flock. I’m wondering if they got spooked by the auto door coming down and not getting in so as it gets dusk now just not even trying? It has a sensor and reverses if a chick is entering as the door is closing. It is also a very slow speed of opening and closing that if a bird is ever caught dead under the door, the bird was already dead before the door touched her!

I’ve already set the timer a lot later to give them more time to get in but once they settle in the run it won’t matter what time the door timer is set, I’m thinking. It’s not bullying because it’s not always the same birds, not predators, or bugs...I’m out of ideas so am hoping you all have some other ideas as to the “why” and how do I get them all in again? It’s winter here so I need them in the coop now at night.

I could keep them in the coop a few days to “re-teach” sense of home but I do have two bitches that do pick on my silkie to the point of drawing blood and she’s all white! So would prefer not having to do that if possible. Much thanks for your expertise on this

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Need some solutions from the chicken experts out there... I have eight hens but two flocks. Four were hatched March 2019 and four were hatched this past March and although they mingle out of necessity they also stick within their own flock especially when sleeping. The newer flock originally slept in the chicken run on the roof of a TSC chicken coop that was was given to me with the girls at 4 months old (they were re-homed with me). I easily taught them how to roost in the 10x8 coop with the older hens once the weather got colder in Oct

We just added an automatic coop door 2 weeks ago and all was super!! Then suddenly, 2-4 birds aren’t going in at dusk (but go in/out easily all day long) and are getting closed out of the coop so I then have had to chase them through a 3’ high 12’ long chute from the run into the coop...groan and I must look ridiculous trying to do it. It’s not always the same birds either

This is happening every night now. The birds are settling back on the TSC roof if they are the newer flock or on that coop door if the older flock. I’m wondering if they got spooked by the auto door coming down and not getting in so as it gets dusk now just not even trying? It has a sensor and reverses if a chick is entering as the door is closing. It is also a very slow speed of opening and closing that if a bird is ever caught dead under the door, the bird was already dead before the door touched her!

I’ve already set the timer a lot later to give them more time to get in but once they settle in the run it won’t matter what time the door timer is set, I’m thinking. It’s not bullying because it’s not always the same birds, not predators, or bugs...I’m out of ideas so am hoping you all have some other ideas as to the “why” and how do I get them all in again? It’s winter here so I need them in the coop now at night.

I could keep them in the coop a few days to “re-teach” sense of home but I do have two bitches that do pick on my silkie to the point of drawing blood and she’s all white! So would prefer not having to do that if possible. Much thanks for your expertise on this

Old-timer suggestion is to lock them in for a day or two. How likely is it that a predator has been creeping around at night? While my own birds never shied away from the coop even after two predator attacks, I’ve hear tale of other people’s flicks not wanting to go in at night. I’ve had brief periods of a few days when chickens were going in later than usual but my coop is overcrowded so it’s harder for them to settle in. How large is your coop? Is there 2-4 sq feet per bird? Ideally you want 3-4sq feet per bird inside the coop for standard sized chickens.

 

[bill3607]

I have an auto door also. I have it set to close on time at about 45 minutes after dark because I want to give them all a chance to get inside. At first I had problems with several being still in the run after the door closed. I would reprogram the door so it would open and put each one back inside. I would have to chase a few. So, after a few nights of doing this I decided to let whoever got caught outside in the run to spend the night there. I did this for 3 nights and then they got the message. It rarely ever happens anymore, but every now and then 1 or 2 will get caught outside (never the same ones) but when I open the door for them now I do not have to chase them. They are ready and go right on in on their own. Maybe sometimes 1 or 2 are really into doing some chicken thing and just cannot turn it loose at the time. lol who knows.
I am sort of having the opposite going with mine the last few days. Where they normally want to be out in the run during the day they have gotten to where they spend nearly all their time in the coop. No evidence of predators or anything. It is winter, but I am in LA (lower Alabama) so not too awfully cold. Plus, there has been colder days earlier in the season when they wanted to be out in the run every chance they got. Which, none of that has nothing to do with your thread, and I am not trying to hijack it.
Anyway, I do not think it would be the noise of the door unless it is really loud. Mine is not, but yours may be. I think they get used to things like that,
Maybe try going for closing on time instead of dusk and set it 45 minutes or even an hour after dark and see if that helps.
I also have a light that comes on in the run at dusk and I wondered if that confused them some, so until I got them trained when to get in I disabled it. Now, I have gone back to letting it auto on at dusk.
Also, if your coop is dark It may cause them to not want to go in for whatever reason. Afraid of the boggie chicken?? I had to have a light on inside the coop or they were reluctant to go in (actually would not go in) and especially when the light would be on out in the run but not in the coop..
Just some thoughts.

 

[Ltvo]

Old-timer suggestion is to lock them in for a day or two. How likely is it that a predator has been creeping around at night? While my own birds never shied away from the coop even after two predator attacks, I’ve hear tale of other people’s flicks not wanting to go in at night. I’ve had brief periods of a few days when chickens were going in later than usual but my coop is overcrowded so it’s harder for them to settle in. How large is your coop? Is there 2-4 sq feet per bird? Ideally you want 3-4sq feet per bird inside the coop for standard sized chickens.

There is PLENTY of space both in the coop (80sqft in coop) and the run (260sqft for 8 birds in the run). The run is predator proof and connected to the coop

 

[rosemarythyme]

You wouldn't happen to have a coop cam would you? You would probably see the answer easily if you could watch their behavior at bedtime. Or a good size window that faces into the roost would do it (though I'd rather not stand in the cold to watch them).

Since your coop is so big floor space isn't the problem, but how long are the roost(s) and how many are there, and if more than 1, how far apart are they?

 

[Ryan A]

Need some solutions from the chicken experts out there... I have eight hens but two flocks. Four were hatched March 2019 and four were hatched this past March and although they mingle out of necessity they also stick within their own flock especially when sleeping. The newer flock originally slept in the chicken run on the roof of a TSC chicken coop that was was given to me with the girls at 4 months old (they were re-homed with me). I easily taught them how to roost in the 10x8 coop with the older hens once the weather got colder in Oct

We just added an automatic coop door 2 weeks ago and all was super!! Then suddenly, 2-4 birds aren’t going in at dusk (but go in/out easily all day long) and are getting closed out of the coop so I then have had to chase them through a 3’ high 12’ long chute from the run into the coop...groan and I must look ridiculous trying to do it. It’s not always the same birds either

This is happening every night now. The birds are settling back on the TSC roof if they are the newer flock or on that coop door if the older flock. I’m wondering if they got spooked by the auto door coming down and not getting in so as it gets dusk now just not even trying? It has a sensor and reverses if a chick is entering as the door is closing. It is also a very slow speed of opening and closing that if a bird is ever caught dead under the door, the bird was already dead before the door touched her!

I’ve already set the timer a lot later to give them more time to get in but once they settle in the run it won’t matter what time the door timer is set, I’m thinking. It’s not bullying because it’s not always the same birds, not predators, or bugs...I’m out of ideas so am hoping you all have some other ideas as to the “why” and how do I get them all in again? It’s winter here so I need them in the coop now at night.

I could keep them in the coop a few days to “re-teach” sense of home but I do have two bitches that do pick on my silkie to the point of drawing blood and she’s all white! So would prefer not having to do that if possible. Much thanks for your expertise on this

That is not ok. They can get eaten by a fox or raccoon or something. U should check the coop to make sure it is clean and ok, and make sure they all go in at night. That is really all I can say.

 

[bill3607]

I know you asked for chicken experts and I am certainly not that. I am still learning. But, one thing I have noticed in my short time is that my girls do not like change much. I have noticed that mine get upset (for lack of a better word) at "any" kind of change. They are still young at 15 weeks so maybe that has something to do with it. But, if I put their water and/or food in just a slightly different place or something simple like that they will act a little different like they are not certain everything is okay. They will get off of their normal routine. That usually only lasts a day or so and then they are back to normal. If I make a major change of some kind it really gets them out of sorts. Of course you said you have had the new door a little while, but have you made any other changes before this happened like construction or layout of their coop or some new something you have put in there?

 

[docteurshepherd]

That is not ok. They can get eaten by a fox or raccoon or something. U should check the coop to make sure it is clean and ok, and make sure they all go in at night. That is really all I can say.

Agreed. My piece of advice, I think somebody already said this but lock them up for a couple days. I've heard that can work. I dealt with this earlier in the year. Basically we ended up with two roosters and while I did cull one, the other still stayed separated and had his flock in the barn at night. What I did was I literally went in the barn, and took them, one or two at a time that I could carry and put them in the coop. Yes it was a pain, but after a couple nights of doing this, they got the hint and all has been well since.

 

[aart]

It's the door has them freaked.....don't think locking them in will help much.

 

[Ltvo]

You wouldn't happen to have a coop cam would you? You would probably see the answer easily if you could watch their behavior at bedtime. Or a good size window that faces into the roost would do it (though I'd rather not stand in the cold to watch them).

Since your coop is so big floor space isn't the problem, but how long are the roost(s) and how many are there, and if more than 1, how far apart are they?

There is a 10’ roost for them. The only change is the automatic door which I think spooked them one time when it was time to go to roost. I think they were following each other one night and the door(that’s on a timer) started coming down and it freaked some of them out so they ran back out into the run. The door has a sensor so went back up and once it didn’t detect movement then closed fully and those birds were locked out. After that, I think the subsequent nights some didn’t even bother going in at dusk

I just want to get them all in at dusk before the door automatically closes again. Otherwise there isn’t a point in having the auto door if I have to chase them or hand carry them into the coop again every night