Chickens won't go home...

[ANGELCHICK]

I have a very similar problem. Chickies prefer the tree in the back yard instead of their coop. We did lock them up for 3-4 days in the house when they were first moved outside and were not let out of the coop/run for 2-3 weeks. We collect them out of the tree every night and lock them up. They roost higher every night if I don't find a solution we are going to have to get out the ladder!

They free range in our yard most days and are 14 weeks old. Coop is 3 x 4 x 4 raised about 2' off the ground. We have a 1 1/2" roost inside about 4" above the floor. We will be moving the roost higher and adding another this weekend. Any other ideas are appreciated? See pic of our coop. There is a 2 1/2' wide window in the front (not open in pic) and vents on the other sides and at the top where the roof meets the walls.

 

[MrsBall1127]

Hi, all! It's been a busy couple of days. I'm the OP'S wife. The coop is 6 x 4 x 4. We have 5 RIRs (probably 3 months old) and a a Red Sex Link that acts as their mother(about 4 months old). That is the first "flock"
The second are three girls we raised together, an EE, Sussex, and a wyandotte. They act as a separate flock.
Ventilation is a 18x4 rectangle cutout and covered with hardware cloth on the east and west side. As it is very hot during the day here in Oklahoma, and we have little to no shade, we're uncomfortable with leaving them in for a day. It's 2:50 am as I type this, and the temperature is 75 f.

 

[Saint_ Marwenne_Chickens]

Lock them in there for 2 days? That might home them.

 

[MrsBall1127]

Photos! So they were introduced slowly. We moved Myrtle and her girls out first, into the green coop we bought from Orscheln's. We then moved them into their new house, the "rectangle" my husband described. Their home and the green coop are in the same run. We moved the second flock into the green coop, so they could see each other through the fence. We slowly let them meet each other in their run, but under supervision at first. We then moved the little girls (ee, sussex, wyandotte) into the red's home at night. It's been about a month and they still won't go to bed together. The little girls get on the protein buckets, as pictured, and the big ones get on top of the "rectangle"

 

[MrsBall1127]

Lock them in there for 2 days? That might home them.

We're terrified to do that, as it gets quite hot and we have little to no shade. We're newlyweds who just planted a few trees-hopegully there will be shade in 20 years!

 

[MrsBall1127]

This is the only photo I could find of the rectangle. It was still "under construction" It isn't our proudest build... Lol... A bigger coop is in the making, but we're trying to make due for now.

 

[MrsBall1127]

This is the only photo I could find of the rectangle. It was still "under construction" It isn't our proudest build... Lol... A bigger coop is in the making, but we're trying to make due for now.

Here's the RIRs and Myrtle on top of the "rectangle"
I hope my 500 posts help
I'm so sorry if it seems like I'm babbling. It's been frustrating trying to get our own little coop set up. Since March, we've lost 15 chickens to a dog attack, had two with eye problems, and had our beloved Polish's head feathers picked out. It seems like we have something new everyday

 

[Saint_ Marwenne_Chickens]

We're terrified to do that, as it gets quite hot and we have little to no shade. We're newlyweds who just planted a few trees-hopegully there will be shade in 20 years!

Give them plenty of water, and at least one shade source, like an umbrella. It only needs to be for a few days. Plenty of food too.

 

[MrsBall1127]

I have a very similar problem. Chickies prefer the tree in the back yard instead of their coop. We did lock them up for 3-4 days in the house when they were first moved outside and were not let out of the coop/run for 2-3 weeks. We collect them out of the tree every night and lock them up. They roost higher every night if I don't find a solution we are going to have to get out the ladder!View attachment 1074893 They free range in our yard most days and are 14 weeks old. Coop is 3 x 4 x 4 raised about 2' off the ground. We have a 1 1/2" roost inside about 4" above the floor. We will be moving the roost higher and adding another this weekend. Any other ideas are appreciated? See pic of our coop. There is a 2 1/2' wide window in the front (not open in pic) and vents on the other sides and at the top where the roof meets the walls.

Your coop is absolutely adorable!

 

[aart]

@MrsBall1127 and @Saint_ Marwenne_Chickens
Both your coops are small and don't have near enough ventilation for your climates,
that is why your birds prefer not to sleep in the coop.