Chickens roosting in enclosed run, will not go into coop

[liferider]

So should I put a light on inside the coop to add more light to there day?

 

[aart]

So should I put a light on inside the coop to add more light to there day?

That's up to you...but read the article I cited carefully so you understand ho wit works, or you might be disappointed.

 

[ellend]

I have a very small (covered) fluorescent light inside my coop, on a timer. When it gets dim outside they follow the light and go inside. The timer shuts the light off about an hour after dark, and I adjust it throughout the year to reflect the day length and/or daylight savings time.

Keep in mind that if the coop harbors mites the chickens will fight going inside. Northern Fowl Mites are usually visible around the birds' vents 24 hrs./day, red mites hide in the coop during the day and come out at night.

 

[schradersl]

Would it makes sense when introduced to the coop, to keep them in to coop for a week or so they see that as home instead of the run? Then open the door to the run?

 

[Alaskan]

Would it makes sense when introduced to the coop, to keep them in to coop for a week or so they see that as home instead of the run? Then open the door to the run?

yes, that makes perfect sense.

You could also let them out during the day, but when it gets late afternoon, you could lure them into the coop with some scratch, and lock them up.

 

[Lilyput]

Come on, help the newbie

I AM A Newbie also. I have five chickens, all born in March and 9 months old. (Orpington, Brahma, Austral, EE, Wyandotte). The EE and Austral have been giving me eggs just about every day consistently. I was told the Brahma wouldn't even mature until at least 10 months. The Orp and the Wyandotte have been threatened with being invited to dinner, but still no eggs. Some one in the last week has given me 3 eggs which are unlike the others. I have not yet identified my mystery layer. Cannot catch her in the act; but she's delivery an egg about every 2 days. I think it's the Wyandotte, but not sure. I used fake eggs, but haven't had trouble getting them to lay in the nesting boxes. I have a coop, and indoor run and an outdoor run. I had to cordon off the bushes in the outdoor run because I was afraid they would lay their eggs out there. I never have to put them to bed, they go like clockwork. I can't be bothered with extra lighting. CHICKENS ARE SO MUCH FUN!

 

[yellowchicks]

We locked our chicks in the coop for weeks when we were building the run. There was really no where else to put them. Free range was out of the question due to town ordinance and no time to supervise. During those weeks, the feeder and water were placed in the coop. Once the run was done and in place, we move their feeder and water out to the run, and hung a solar yard light in their coop. Our chickens knew exactly when they want to go into the coop to sleep, about 1/2 hour before dark. The coop light helps them to get in position on the roosting bar, settling in for the night, then lights out, sweet dream. The only time our girls are in the coop nowadays is for either sleeping or laying. Once in awhile they will take a mid-day nap inside. Most of the time, they are out in the run doing what chickens do all day. If by chance I forgot to reopen the coop door after cleaning, they would line up by the coop door in the evening, complaint loudly until I open the door to let them in to go to sleep.

 

[Lilyput]

I have a coop within a large open shed (my indoor run) and a large outdoor run. I kept my girls in the coop for seven days when I first got them, let them out into the indoor run for another seven days, and then finally the outdoor run. I never had trouble getting them into the coop; they were always there ready to be locked up at sundown!

 

[AnimlCrakrAcres]

I have the same problem. I have a new Roo who will not roost inside or under anything, like he is claustrophobic or something. I just got him as a rescue a few weeks ago and he is fitting into the flock OK, and I have a few different coops and outdoor perches in the run, but even in the rain and the cold he wants to sleep exposed to the elements. I tried for a few nights putting him in a few different places- the main coop with the others, the spare coop, the food coop, I even tried to build an awning over the outdoor perch so he would at least have a roof over his head but he would just scoot to the very edge and still get rained on. Now he has one of my hens following him and sleeping in the rain too.

I would move him in the middle of the night in the dark but in the morning when I wake up he's back in his spot. At least they are locked in the run so there is no where else for him to fly off to. But I don't want to wake up to either more sleeping outside with him or him frozen to a perch

 

[AnimlCrakrAcres]

And no matter how quiet I am, this Roo has spidey- sense. It could be 3am, no lights on the farm, no flash lights or head lamps, and the whole farm is asleep and I slowly creep in to move him and he is already staring me down like "oh its you again we gonna play this grab and go game?" Maybe he has insomnia? Do some chickens sleep with their eyes open?