Chicken won’t go in hen house at night

[nappydreadz69]

Hello.
It could be the temperature of the hen house. But what I found out because I’m new to keeping chickens. My 7 hens (no rooster at the time) did this all of a sudden and I being new to keeping chickens as I said before. There was a black snake living inside of the hen house. The black snake was eating my eggs on a daily basis.

He was eating really good until I figured it out. I figured it out, because at the time they were young hens laying 7 eggs a day. then I went to collect the eggs. Started to notice I was getting maybe 4/5 eggs a day. That’s when I found the snake inside of the nesting box.

The chickens would lay on the snake which was under the straw bedding. Chickens would lay the eggs. I guess keeping the snake warm in the process, not harming the chickens. Lay the eggs. Then the snake would eat the eggs.
CRAZY RIGHT!!

 

[kerico]

People have already come to this conclusion, but I'll reiterate.
It looks like there is no natural light getting into the roosting box.
It probably gets too dark in there for the chickens to navigate the roosts before they are ready to go to bed, add a window, or electric light.

 

[cgaylemedders]

Mine used to stay in the coop but started roosting outside on the perches we put in for them to exercise. They have perches inside the coop and stay inside when it is windy, chilly or rainy. Mine pitch a fit over the fresh pine chips and the hay every time I clean their coop. They will come around...

 

[Ann With A Plan]

Wow! I have hardware cloth over the top of the chicken wire, but a snake could get inside from the open front door I guess. I need to check that! Thanks.

Hello.
It could be the temperature of the hen house. But what I found out because I’m new to keeping chickens. My 7 hens (no rooster at the time) did this all of a sudden and I being new to keeping chickens as I said before. There was a black snake living inside of the hen house. The black snake was eating my eggs on a daily basis.

He was eating really good until I figured it out. I figured it out, because at the time they were young hens laying 7 eggs a day. then I went to collect the eggs. Started to notice I was getting maybe 4/5 eggs a day. That’s when I found the snake inside of the nesting box.

The chickens would lay on the snake which was under the straw bedding. Chickens would lay the eggs. I guess keeping the snake warm in the process, not harming the chickens. Lay the eggs. Then the snake would eat the eggs.
CRAZY RIGHT!!

 

[Humanbean68]

Turning a light on inside made mine want to go in....but I do think they'd probably like a window, too.

 

[noconachickenmama]

My flock on average are 70 days old. There are 12 of them and at night they huddle out side the hen house and I have to pick each one up every night to put to bed about 9pm. They aren’t afraid of the house. It’s completely predator proof and they go in and out all day long. They are getting heavy and I don’t know how to get them to go in by themselves.

They need a light in the coop. Preferably not too bright, right by the pop door. Young birds wait too long to go to bed, then it is darker inside the coop than outside. And chickens can't see in the dark. Put a light in and watch them put themselves to bed.

 

[GambaDawn]

This is our first attempt at a coop, So just sharing here. However our girls and roo, went in the third night all by themselves ( I also put mine in, one at a time, the first two nights) and they have gone in to bed every night on their own since. i did have my husband cut out a window which I leave open all day until I close them in at night, maybe a larger vent, like a window would help? We also added a door to close them in completely at night.

 

[WindingRoad]

They don’t run walk away at all they stay perfectly still when I pick them up. So herding definatly doesn’t work. But I put them up every night as soon as I see very very little light outside like 9 or 915. I keep hoping they will get scared and go in by them selves. I handle them every day and I can pet and pick them up but during the day my rooster starts clicking if I pick him up and at night he’s perfectly quiet. It’s almost like they think I’m supposed to pick them up every night to put them to bed

Chickens herd better than cows. I have a small branch and I just thump the ground and screech Get in the COOOOOP. I think they get in just so I will shut up. You have to coral them into a group and run back and forth like a herding dog. Chicken have very low vision after dark. If you wait until it's totally dark they won't be able to find the roosts. Once I get my birds in the coop and close the door if they are not up on the roost then I shine my flashlight on the roost and tell them to get up. Might take a few days even a week. But they will get it. Remember to go out at dusk and herd them in. A loud thump on the ground and screeching Get in the COOOOOOOOOP worked for me. Good l luck and extra ventilation will help.

 

[Double Yolked]

Last time I saw this behavior I had a hidden chicken mite infestation. I'd say that you need to check for pests first, then see what other physical factors might be frightening them. Hens don't normally sleep on the ground, so when they choose to there has to be something really frightening or uncomfortable for them in the coop.

 

[SusiesPeeps]

I know others have commented similarly, but when our 8-week chicks would not go into the coop at night, we read about getting a nightlight and found a package of LED lights that use a battery. We stuck one on the ceiling of the coop. The lights come with a remote timer that you can set to shut off at the time of your choosing. We would go out at around 7:00 p.m. (in early June) and turn the light on in the coop and set the timer for 2 hours. It worked like a charm. Literally, the first night they all went to bed by themselves. We checked on them and they were all settling in for the night. The light went off reliably as well. We used the light for about 6 weeks and then realized last week they didn't need it any longer because they were comfortable in their new "home." The brand of light we bought at Home Depot is called "Defiant."