Chickens won’t go in coop at night

[WhidbeyFlock]

Help! We have had 3 hens for a year and a half. They had a small coop, and this winter they started being tardy in going into their coop at night. Often times we'd head out when it was pitch dark and they’re still pecking around in their unsecured yard. So I started bringing a “treat” out every night to lure them in. Well, last week we added a roo to the flock. They are all getting along great, thankfully. At the same time, we moved the whole flock to a larger coop and their own run. We also added an automatic door to close at night and open in the morning. Our new roo is so good and goes into the coop when dusk hits. Well, the girls, as usual, hang around in the run and are missing the nighttime door closure, even though its set to close 90 minutes after it gets dark. They’ve started roosting under a pallet in the run. Argh! The coop has multiple roost bar sizes and locations, I’ve made it very hospitable- it’s clean, it’s secure, it has soft lighting that turns off at night. Why won’t they go into their coop at night?? Are they spoiled because I trained them to expect a treat? Do they attribute the coop as the new roo’s house?

 

[sourland]

Chickens hate change, and to them the new coop is not 'home'. You may have to put them in the coop until they start to regard it as their home.

 

[3KillerBs]

Did you shut them into the coop for a week to accustom them to thinking of it as their new home?

 

[WhidbeyFlock]

Did you shut them into the coop for a week to accustom them to thinking of it as their new home?

No, we didn’t do that. I was kind of worried about locking them in a small space with a new roo, wanted to give them space in case someone was a bully. But maybe I should?

 

[3KillerBs]

No, we didn’t do that. I was kind of worried about locking them in a small space with a new roo, wanted to give them space in case someone was a bully. But maybe I should?

That's the usual way to teach chickens that their new coop is their home.

How big is the new coop?

 

[rosemarythyme]

If it's not spacious (at least 6-8 sq ft floor space per bird), well lit and well ventilated, I would not lock them in for days to home them to it. I would manually herd them in around sunset and then lock up behind them.

 

[Ridgerunner]

we'd head out when it was pitch dark and they’re still pecking around

How dark is it outside? It sounds like you may have a security light or street light that keeps it lit outside even after sunset. This is the part that confuses me. I can see them roosting outside when it gets dark but continuing to eat? I have no idea how to handle that unless maybe you can turn a security light off.

When mine refuse to put themselves to bed inside the coop but instead choose to sleep outside I wait until they try to go to sleep so they are easy to catch and lock them in the coop until they get the message. Sometimes that only takes once, I've had a few take as long as every night for three weeks.

When I move my 5 to 6 week old chicks to the grow-out coop which has a dedicated run I sometimes keep them locked in it for a week or longer before I give them access to the run. They still try to sleep in the run most of the time instead of going into the coop to sleep. They have to be trained to go inside at night. That part I understand. But why they are still active after dark I do not understand.