Chickens don't want to roost in the coop at night

[Bowserella]

Hi. I'm kind of new with raising chickens and not sure if what my chickens are doing is normal or if there is something I can do to correct the behavior if it's not. I have two young chickens (about 9 weeks old) and one adult hen. All three have free range of the back yard all day. At night they all congregate on our deck and try to roost on the railing. The adult hen will tire of this around 8;30 and go in to roost in the coop but the two younger ones huddle together in a corner up next to our house. I end up having to carry them to the coop every night and put them to bed. Once when I arrived home a bit late, they were all tucked up nice and tight in the coop without my assistance. Has anyone had chickens not want to roost in the right place? Is there anything I can do to encourage them to roost in the coop instead of by our house. At first I thought they were afraid of the adult hen because she used to peck them but she doesn't really bother them anymore. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!!

 

[ShockValue]

Did they spend any time inside your house or on the deck when you first brought them home? Chickens need to re-learn where "home" is, and if you haven't broken them of deck/house as being home, they'll keep trying to go there.

Lock em in the coop for a week and it will rewire where "home" is.

 

[TaraBellaBirds]

Did they spend any time inside your house or on the deck when you first brought them home? Chickens need to re-learn where "home" is, and if you haven't broken them of deck/house as being home, they'll keep trying to go there.

Lock em in the coop for a week and it will rewire where "home" is.