Chicken wont use coop

[Impatient]

So long story short I have a hen named Red who used to be a house chicken living in a giant aquarium. This came about after losing 3 broods to local predators and me not having the finances to build a properly secure coop and run. Anyhow I have built a coop and Red wont use it. At sunset I got out and urge her into the coop, set her on a roost and the next morning she's STILL on the roost and angry squawking until I physically pick her up and place her in the run. How can I encourage proper coop and roost use so I'm not doomed to twice daily putting my chicken where shes supposed to be?

 

[Mellowmalt]

I agree it's a good looking coop for 3 birds, she needs some company but the hole in the floor is most likely causing issues too.
I know she can jump that high but it seems like an unaturally steep angle to fly into a dark box so I also think a door cut out of the side with a ramp would help her get in by herself.

 

[Impatient]

I agree it's a good looking coop for 3 birds, she needs some company but the hole in the floor is most likely causing issues too.
I know she can jump that high but it seems like an unaturally steep angle to fly into a dark box so I also think a door cut out of the side with a ramp would help her get in by herself.

After a week of going out every night and pushing her up the ramp and roosting Red she's finally figured it out!! She now roosts all by herself! So proud of her. I think putting the food in the coop helped her get used to going in and out (food has since be moved outside) and she's even using the nest box to lay! Shes come a long way from being a house chicken in an aquarium. Got two new EE chicks who are brooding and should be joining her in about 3mo.

 

[MissE]

So long story short I have a hen named Red who used to be a house chicken living in a giant aquarium. This came about after losing 3 broods to local predators and me not having the finances to build a properly secure coop and run. Anyhow I have built a coop and Red wont use it. At sunset I got out and urge her into the coop, set her on a roost and the next morning she's STILL on the roost and angry squawking until I physically pick her up and place her in the run. How can I encourage proper coop and roost use so I'm not doomed to twice daily putting my chicken where shes supposed to be?

How high is your roost? Personally, I'd leave her up there until she came down on her own. She won't let herself starve. The only problem would be if the roost is too high for her to comfortably jump down. Chickens jump at a 45 degree angle, not straight down, so if the roost is too high, they don't have room to jump.

 

[neo71665]

She is being retrained to her new environment. It will take time but I wouldn't remove her from the roost. She will have to learn to come down on her own. You might have to keep putting her up at night for her safety but she will learn that too over time.

 

[L0rraine]

I’ve found dry meal worms to be great incentive / ‘training’ tools. They can be pricey , but I’ve found them very useful for encouraging the hens into their night time ‘safe’ pen and once it becomes a habit, we’re good to go.

 

[aart]

but getting her to go in at night and roost is still an issue.

Might be too dark in there.
try putting a battery operated puck light in the coop just before dusk, then turn it off when you lock up after dark.

Having pop door in the side of coop rather than the floor, might make all tings easier in such a small coop.

 

[Impatient]

I’ve found dry meal worms to be great incentive / ‘training’ tools. They can be pricey , but I’ve found them very useful for encouraging the hens into their night time ‘safe’ pen and once it becomes a habit, we’re good to go.

I do have some dried meal worms. Might try that. For now ive put the food in the coop and the water outside the coop to try and encourage her to go in and out of the coop during the day to get used to it

 

[aart]

Pretty tight space, and roosts are kind of small(what is the diameter of roost?).

 

[chicken1234]

Does she live alone? If so she sees you as her flock and doesn't want to be alone in a coop even if it is a lovely coop. I'd get her a friend and I think she will be more agreeable to be living in there. She needs a flock of her own.