Chickens that won't go into the coop at night-help please!

[logansmommy7]

I have 6 young pullets that I added to our flock after a month. The ones I had before were a combination of 7 laying hens, and another hen with 3 chicks, and a rooster (adult). They all combined fine and would go into the roost nightly and all we had to do was shut the door. Now with the new ones (we have had them two months now) every night they go on top of the the coop, and if we don't do it just right, we might have to chase one or two in the dark-UGH!!! Will they ever grow out of this and start going into the coop on their own? They are between 14-16 week old girls and I just don't know what to do to get them shifted into the habits of the others. Any ideas???

 

[Shared Acres]

Happens all the time to new birds here.

I typically go out and throw them in the coop. With my Silkies some of them are scared of the ramp so I often have to teach them how to use it.

Maybe they don't like the other chickens and it will take a bit for every one to get along.

 

[logansmommy7]

I got them in June, it has almost been two months, will they eventually learn??

 

[Superior Chicks]

If you have electricity, leave the light on in the coop and they will go in.

My new girls weren't going into their coop till I tried this advice given to me by a fellow BYCer and it worked the very first night and ever since. I turn the light on about an hour before dusk, and like clockwork at dusk they file right in. I go and shut off the light, close the doors. No fuss, no treats, no problem, turn out the light---goodnight!

Then I stand outside their windows so I can listen to the wonderful purring sounds they make when they settle down. Takes me about a half an hour to close two coop doors.

HTH

Ma

 

[Jajika]

Some chickens need to follow others. If you can get one to go into the coop, the others will follow.

Put one in and be sure she stays, then watch. They like to do what everyone else does, kind of like teen age girls!

After one or two evenings, I'll bet you will have the problem solved.

 

[nancysmith2]

The light worked for us every time.

 

[cmom]

I have a night lights in my coops. My hens and my 5 weeks old chicks all go into their coops at night by themselves. Maybe it's the lights.

 

[logansmommy7]

Finally an answer! We have tried putting one in and seeing if the others would follow but they are kind of dumb. I think the light thing might be an answer to our problem. I'll let you know!

 

[undermywings]

Chickens are just about blind in the dark. Youngsters have yet to learn when to go to bed and wait until too late. Then they need to be taught to use the roosts.

If you don't have electricity, use solar lights and put them in the coop when you want them to go in.

We had to hand place our chicks on the roost for 2 nights. Same with any new adult hens. They are 'afeared' of the resident dominant hens so we give them a place of prominence on a top roost for a couple of days.

Works every time.

 

[logansmommy7]

It worked! Or I should say somewhat...we put a light on a chain right inside the door of the coop and we put a few of them on the ramp going in-they saw the light and went right in. The other few we shooed off of the top of the coop and they saw the light and also went in. Tomorrow night I will put the light out there before dark and see if the "light bulb turns on" so to speak. Hopefully we are on the way to training them...WOOHOO!!!! Progress...after two months of going out there and putting them in by hand. Once again, THANK YOU BYC!!!