Chickens not going in coop at night...have tried everythibg

[Apappone]

I put my chickens outside in their coop at about 8 weeks. 6 chickens, 24 square feet inside and their is a run over the whole thing. I have tried locking them in for 5 days, tried the light, nothing will get them to go in at night. They can get in and out and do because their food and water is in there. They need to sleep inside because we have weasels and foxes and in winter it’ll be -20. Every night 5 of them are on the roof of the coop and 1 escapes the run (no idea how) and goes to sleep on top. I get that one off by offering her a tomato stake and she happily rides it down and into the coop. The other ones I do the same way or just picking them up and putting g them in. But I don’t wanna do this forever. What can I do?!

 

[thehenandchick01234]

I walked mine up the ramp for about 4 night(you might think that was crazy but was the only thing that worked). Then I would shut the door. Now I don’t even shut the door. The go in at 8 o’clock sharp. I only have to check on them now after that.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of your coop, inside and out?

 

[Chicalina]

Put a light inside the coop for a few nights. It will help them see where to go. Sometimes they don't like going into a dark coop. Also help to guide them in at dusk, not dark.

 

[kimdk]

You may need to lock them in the coop/run for a week or 2. 5 days is not that much time. I keep mine in the coop/run for 2 weeks before letting them out to free range. Even, then I sometimes have a stubborn one that will stay outside.

 

[aart]

6 chickens, 24 square feet inside and their is a run over the whole thing.

Might be too tight for 6 birds....especially if you have harsh winters.

Photos of your coop, inside and out?

Yes, pics please.

....and...... Welcome to BYC! @Apappone
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[Mellowmalt]

I have found the design makes such a difference. A badly designed coop and chickens won't want to use it. Like too few windows is a big reason they won't want to use a coop. A light is just too much effort and they will prefer a window so they can get woken by the sun.
A window can be just hardware cloth but it can also be a proper glass or acrylic window.

Size might be an issue. Height can be an issue but they will always seek out a high spot to roost so the coop also needs well placed roosting bars to entice them to jump on them.

To break their habit of wanting to roost on the roof you could try blocking the roof with fencing so it's hard for them to jump on it but do make sure the coop has a) a good roosting area high up with enough space to easily jump up and down (for every foot up in height it is there should be a foot of landing space)
and b) enough windows.

I've always been able to entice my chickens to want to go into the coop by making small adjustments here or there. It's such a great feeling if you build a good coop and the chickens use the nest boxes and sleep on the perches. If they are not they are telling you they are not happy with something.

You can train them to get used to a coop they don't like but I prefer to make sure they are happy with my design, once you have a coop that one chicken likes, pretty much any chicken will like it.

 

[TRanch2017]

Height is important in a coop along with a protected window. They don't like going into a dark box. I've had to literally walk the chickens, guineas, turkeys and ducks up the ramp. I usually start a couple feet from the ramp literally hands on each side making them walk to the ramp, while repeating "go to bed" and into the coop. This can take 5 or more days. Now if I have stragglers out (usually the ducks) when going to close the coop for the night, I can say go to bed and they know to go up the ramp.

 

[jwsmith1959]

I give mine scratch treats for coming to the coop when I want. They can be stubborn at times. Reward them every time for this and they will remember.