Chickens not returning to their coop at dusk

[Cuatro Pollos]

OK, I know, another thread on "chickens not returning to their coop at dusk". There must be hundreds of them on this site and I have read most of them. I have six 7-8 week old pullets. They were raised in a brooder in the garage until a week and a half ago. I have read that locking them in the coop for up to a week was the best way and then I have read that that was not necessary. I have read that they need access to food all day and then I have read that food should be withheld until dusk and used as motivation for them to return to the coop. I have removed the feeder from the run, leaving only the one in the coop. I have changed the angle of my ramp. I have added a night light. Still, these girls will sit on a roosting bar outside rather than go in. I would remove that roosting bar if it weren't permanent.

I am a first-time chicken raiser and I want to do things right. I have read many of the threads on this site. The information on here is amazing. My girls are beautiful, friendly and healthy, in part because of the information I have read here. However, I am nearing my wits end with this issue. I live in Southern Fairfield County, Connecticut. I was hoping that someone on this site might know a "chicken whisperer' in my area. Thanks for reading.

Here are some pictures of my coop and run, the girls favorite place to sit and the girls.

 

[red horse ranch]

OK, I know, another thread on "chickens not returning to their coop at dusk". There must be hundreds of them on this site and I have read most of them. I have six 7-8 week old pullets. They were raised in a brooder in the garage until a week and a half ago. I have read that locking them in the coop for up to a week was the best way and then I have read that that was not necessary. I have read that they need access to food all day and then I have read that food should be withheld until dusk and used as motivation for them to return to the coop. I have removed the feeder from the run, leaving only the one in the coop. I have changed the angle of my ramp. I have added a night light. Still, these girls will sit on a roosting bar outside rather than go in. I would remove that roosting bar if it weren't permanent.

I am a first-time chicken raiser and I want to do things right. I have read many of the threads on this site. The information on here is amazing. My girls are beautiful, friendly and healthy, in part because of the information I have read here. However, I am nearing my wits end with this issue. I live in Southern Fairfield County, Connecticut. I was hoping that someone on this site might know a "chicken whisperer' in my area. Thanks for reading.

Here are some pictures of my coop and run, the girls favorite place to sit and the girls.

"Aww mom do I HAVE to go in?"
Young poultry don't know that they have to go in at night. They learn by you putting them in every night for a week or two. My young ones expect me to shoo them in the coop and lock the door. After a few weeks they will want to be inside when it starts getting dark. I keep food in the coop and in the run. I believe they should have access to food all the time unless they are broilers who will overeat and have leg problems.
You have a nice variety of pullets. And a very nice coop!

 

[mrchicks]

You have a great set up and lovely birds.

Here's the way I do it. Every night for about a week, I put them in the coop for the night. In the morning I let them back out. After about a week of this silliness, they will go in by themselves at night. They are creatures of habit, you just need to teach them the habit. Here and there one will forget and need to be put in, but they will get it.

I feed and water outside only to cut down on the mess in the coop. My gals storm the door in the morning to get out there, and all run back in at dusk. Feed them where ever is easiest for you, I haven't found food to be a motivator for them to go in at night, but it sure makes them anxious to go outside in the morning.

 

[mrchicks]

lol, I type too slow.

 

[Bethel3330]

I did the same thing, I put them all in myself the first night. Then the second night I only had to put in the youngest. I think it really helped that I bought an adult rooster with my flock. He showed them the ropes instead of me having to.

 

[Cuatro Pollos]

Thanks for your replies. mrchicks, your success is what I was hoping for. Hasn't happened as of yet, so I broke down on locked them in the coop. It's cool-ish here for the next few days and it can't hurt them. I am also going to work on my "bedtime routine" to see if I can train them more consistently. I'll let you know how things turn out.

 

[Eggcessive]

I lock my new ones in the coop for a few days, but restrict them to the coop and run for a week. By providing a roost outside of the coop, you are inviting them to use it at night. I would remove the roost temporarily until they are older and have been going into the coop at night, and put it back. A light in the coop should go off an hour after dusk so they sleep. Your roost may be part of the bracing for the run walls, but I think it could be removed temporarily. If it can't absolutely be removed, then I would use some plastic poultry netting stapled from the roost to the ceiling to prevent them from using it for a bit.

 

[Cuatro Pollos]

Eggcessive, thanks for the reply. I took a look at the outside perch and it is indeed part of the run's structure. But I'm not so sure that it couldn't be removed temporarily without undermine the integrity of the structure. I have the birds locked in the coop right now. It's supposed to be cool for the next few days, so I thought it would be safe to do this. The night light in the coop is not very bright at all.

Thanks

 

[rc4u]

the great horned owl's solved mine not going in..now they go in 3 hours early....as they got 3 fav's...and when i worked on turky farm when young..when we got new chicks we woudl have a big towel on a 8 foot bambo pole and just start at the end of the chicks and sway it around a little and they all went in..after a 4 days or so they went in themselves not wanting the big thing to get them...jeff

 

[Cuatro Pollos]

rs4u - too funny.