Chickens out at night

[kated]

Hi I recently bought 3 hens and a rooster( from a different owner) and they are all healthy and fine but they won't go home to their coop at night. They jump up to the top of my 8ft fence and stay there all night. We live in the north of Scotland and it is already not only bloody cold but windy. How do I get them into one or both of the spare coops I have and should I separate the rooster or is he ok with them too. They all stick together in the daytime

 

[ChickenCanoe]

You need to put them in the coop and leave them there for about 3 days. After they sleep somewhere a few nights, they'll go in there. They don't necessarily know what a coop is. It would be better to keep the birds from separate sources apart for a couple weeks. (quarantine)
Maybe the hens in one coop and the roo in the other.
Luckily you don't have the predators I do or they'd already be dead.

 

[chfite]

Keeping the food in the coop might help. Locking them in the coop for a few days is a good idea, too.

Chris

 

[Daniale]

Yikes, I have a similar problem, and I did put them in the coop directly when I got them. They love their coop. Go in there for food and water, and lay in the laying boxes in there. They really really like our lilac tree though. When it is super rainy, they go in the coop of their own accord, but what I have to do is to go escort them in. I go out there around dusk (7pm-7:30 in the Pacific Northwest right now), and bring a treat. At that point, even if they have already hopped into the tree, they haven't settled in for the night and are still active enough to be interested in whatever treat I have with me. They jump out of the tree and one at a time, I pick them up and pop them in the coop. I only have two, so it is pretty easy. We are in an urban neighborhood, and don't seem to have raccoons on our block, so we've been pretty lucky. Good luck!

 

[kated]

I did put them in their coop for two days when i got them but obviously that wasn't enough. I'm going to round them up today and pop them in for a few days again. They are only youngsters too so i worry about them like i do my children lol.

 

[centrarchid]

I did put them in their coop for two days when i got them but obviously that wasn't enough. I'm going to round them up today and pop them in for a few days again. They are only youngsters too so i worry about them like i do my children lol.

Older birds take a little longer to imprint. Put them back into coop for a week, then at end of that week feed them less in morning so no food remains at end of day. On that day late in the evening release them and scatter some feed in coop and a little around entrance. Birds will not range as far and will be inclined to walk into coop on their own at same time they feel need to go to roost. If is key they go to roost on there own as that is when key part of process takes place.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

... We are in an urban neighborhood, and don't seem to have raccoons on our block, so we've been pretty lucky. ...

Just a word of caution. Raccoons have a huge territory and usually sleep in a different den every night. Because you don't see them for days, it doesn't mean they won't visit tomorrow night. If you don't live in higher elevation of the Rockies you will have raccoons. They're especially common in cities. Chicago is overrun with them.
They're fast, ferocious, strong, excellent climbers, swimmers and have perfect night vision. A formidable foe of flock holders.

 

[Daniale]

Just a word of caution. Raccoons have a huge territory and usually sleep in a different den every night. Because you don't see them for days, it doesn't mean they won't visit tomorrow night. If you don't live in higher elevation of the Rockies you will have raccoons. They're especially common in cities. Chicago is overrun with them.
They're fast, ferocious, strong, excellent climbers, swimmers and have perfect night vision. A formidable foe of flock holders.

yup. I have never seen a raccoon in the 13 years I have been in my house, but still operate under the assumption that they are around.

 

[kated]

Just to update
I caught them all individually for three days following my original post and popped them in their coop which was good for me too as they are only young and I wanted them to get used to being handled. Last night they all wandered in their on their own all I needed to do was lock the door. Happy me and chickens