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

[walterd]

I have a related problem. Our hens (2 Wellsummers and 3 PBRs) used to file into the coop every night without any problem when we had our rooster. We recently had to get rid of him (too noisy and neighbors complained) and since then, the hens haven't all been making it inside at night.

My coop has an automatic door that closes at dusk. We've had just a couple of occasions over the past 4 months since they went outside that everyone didn't make it in. Apparently the rooster was calling the shots which made things a lot easier for us. Now we regularly have one or two birds that don't make it in. They will even go in and out of the coop as its getting dark but not stay in. I watched one stand on the ramp as the door was closing and then wonder why she couldn't get in!

The same hens seem to be the regular offenders though it’s hard to tell in the dark. I will be installing a light inside on a timer next month which it sounds like will address the problem, but does anyone have some insights into getting what used to be well trained birds to hit the sack at night like they used in the interim?

 

[Amethyste]

We locked the entire flock in the coop for a week. Didnt let them out into the run.

After that they KNEW the coop was home, and they would come back in every night, tromping up the ramp just before dusk lol

Never had an issue after that either.

 

[theburtschickens]

Thanks for the advice everyone...I was about to post a new topic with this question and then stumbled on this. All of our chickens go in fine except the two newest additions. They like to roost on the gate to our side porch, and so every night without fail I go out and have to carry them into the coop. You'd think they'd learn!

I'll try the light first, then if that doesn't work I'll lock em in for a few days.

 

[Wild Chicken]

We have 4 Mille fleur d'uccles that would prefer to roost in the trees. All of the chicks were raised together and when the mille's refused to go to the coop at night, we locked them in the coop for a week. They went to the coop to roost at night, for about 3 days

now they are right back to the tree again

I will try the light. I don't know what else to do. I don't want them out at night, especially because they are our breeding stock.

Any other suggestions???

Thanks!!

 

[nancysmith2]

All birds are drawn to light. If you want to transfer a bird from one place to another. Inside to out vice versa. Make the place you want them to go light and the place you want them to leave dark.
If I keep on of my girls out for any reason after dark I place her myself in the coop. They have very poor vision in the dusk dark.

 

[fowltemptress]

I never wait for night to bring the chickens in because the owls start hunting before they feel like going to bed. I just throw a handful of scratch grain into the coop to lure them all in about an hour before sunset. That way I never have to worry about it.