Chicken bed time

[vivs]

Hello fellow chicken owners,
I am very new to being a chicken owner and have found this forum very useful with tips and advice on how to make my ladies happy. I am looking for a little bit of advice about their bedtime. Do people just leave them to go to bed of their own accord and close the pop hole when you are read and they are all in, or do you make them go in at a time that is best for the light? Also, what do people find is the best way to actually get them in their roost area? Any tips would be greatly appreciated as my girls don't quite seem to know where they are going? Don't want to force them into bad habits! We have a nest/roost area that has an attached low level run if this helps.
Thank you

 

[Sunsplash]

I used to have to force them to go to bed as soon as it got dark (depending on what time of the year 7-9:00 p.m) they adventually began going in by themselves when they noticed less sun. Then I would just make sure they have food and water, shut the door, and let them out in the morning :3. Hope this helps

 

[Eileen 1930]

I just signed in today to BYC so not sure how this all works. But I have 5 Ameraucans 7 weeks old and I have a coop
5' x 3" and a run for them 5'x12' long 4' height. I hope when they get older and add weight they can't fly out. I have 2 Indian Runners and since they can't fly I pen them up at night because I had some raccons and they killed 2 of my duck. Then one day I was gone and a dog dugged under my fence and killed 2 more. So I got a big pen for them and they go in every night so easy. My chicken coop has a door inside the coop and go in at dark. Because I want them safe. I only want a small group so I can enjoy them.
My chickens are so tame I can pick up when they are in the coop.

I want to add more pictures
I am hoping some one can tell me how to sex my kids.
Thanks

 

[Eileen 1930]

I just signed in today to BYC so not sure how this all works. But I have 5 Ameraucans 7 weeks old and I have a coop
5' x 3" and a run for them 5'x12' long 4' height. I hope when they get older and add weight they can't fly out. I have 2 Indian Runners and since they can't fly I pen them up at night because I had some raccons and they killed 2 of my duck. Then one day I was gone and a dog dugged under my fence and killed 2 more. So I got a big pen for them and they go in every night so easy. My chicken coop has a door inside the coop and go in at dark. Because I want them safe. I only want a small group so I can enjoy them.
My chickens are so tame I can pick up when they are in the coop.

I want to add more pictures
I am hoping some one can tell me how to sex my kids.
Thanks

 

[Eileen 1930]

I just wanted to add what I do for my "Ameraucana" breed I feed them in the morning and then check on them at 4:00
and give more feed and fresh water and then when it gets dark and I can still see to go out and close the exit hole to the
run then are on their perch ready for the night. I also have 3 Black Runner Ducks and they have the run of the yard all day
and I love my ducks, they are so much fun and follow me every where I go.
I have enjoyed every ones comments and are so helpful. I didn't make the run big enough its only 5'X12' but I can change
that later. I have 5 chicks now are 9 weeks old. So I think I have a couple hens and I guess they will start to lay eggs in the
middle of October.

 

[OliverZoe]

Mine go to bed on their own when the sun starts to go down

when it's dark I do a head count then shut the doors.

 

[kathychick]

My chickens are backward! Originally we used to sit on the porch and watch them walk up the ramp to the pop door at very late desk. We were amazed at Mother Nature's ability to wire that into our curls.
Lately they have started laying AND do not go into the coop. They are laying on top of each other on the ramp. Nothing (that I'm aware of) has happened in the coop to scare them and once I start nudging them, they do go in and settle down.

What's up with that?

 

[ChickNanny13]

MEAL WORMS....I found that Happy Hen Treat (freeze dried) are the best to train my chickens. My 6 Pack (2 Orpingtons, 3 Wynadottes, 1 Ameraucana) are in a secure house at nights located in a fenced in area. From when they were young I conditioned them with the sound of (shaking of a cottage cheese size container) mealworms, I shake and hand feed them. I'd shake & feed them several times a day.
I now have them on a routine; they get meal worms when I let them out in the mornings, they get their fresh salad, stay in the fenced area until afternoon. They they are allowed to free range, in the evening I walk to their house & they come running, they get meal worms and shut in for the night. There are times, they're in their house waiting for me....Meal worms are the best training/conditioning tool.
Now considering farming Meal worms for them.

 

[Allicia]

Mine go to bed on their own when the sun starts to go down

when it's dark I do a head count then shut the doors.

Yeah that. Mine go in by themselves, head count and lock it up

 

[mrsc1951]

Alicia! Once mine got used to going to bed on their own, there have been no real issues. When they were little, I actually picked them up and put them in the coop a few times then they got the hang of it all by themselves. I have lights (and fans) in both my coops and the lights stay on for about 20-30 minutes after they go in. Just realized last night that it's time for me to adjust the timer since the days are getting shorter.