Chickens won't go in coop at night!!!

[Excogitate]

Mine still won't go in hen house. They are not free range, they have coop and hen house in one. They all just get on roost in coop and sleep there... Sometimes they will go in coop but I rarely witness it. I do see droppings and "nests" in hen house shavings but they still sleep out side. It going into simmer here in AZ so plenty warm enough but. Coop set up:

Where they roost at night for refference:

 

[MaspethMatt]

I have the same issue. 2 weeks ago something found a hole killing 4 and crippling one. Two remaining hens saw everything and now won't go in at night. They are roosting on a 6 foot chain link fence outside. I'll put on my nightlight and turn off the motion light. They're 3 years old. Maybe if I get more hens it would help. Thinking maybe a fox. Chewed up only the heads

 

[Donna R Raybon]

Chewed heads most likely racoon. They go after high fat brain. A fox you won't find anything but a few feathers, if that. Fox and coyote take chicken with them to feed young this time of year.

 

[mlwillhaus]

i put a light on in the hen house (use a timer to turn on at dark and off at dawn) and they will go in at night , mine dont go in til its pretty dark outside , my problem is they wont go outside during the morning and afternoons, barn door is wide open and they like to sit inside all day till early evening ... I try chasing them out and have even locked them outside to get them use to being out and of course they dont like the wind ....i am now moving their food outside and water to see if that entices them at all. ..I think i have a bunch of special needs chickens this year....lol....

 

[bhendricks]

I have 4 three month old chickens that we just recently started putting them in the run/raised coop about 4 days ago. I started them in the raised coop so they could figure out how to get down to the run via the ladder. My problem is that every night I go out to check on them they're cuddled together to keep warm in the run and won't go up the ladder to the coop that has a red warming lamp that they're used to. So I have to put them up there one by one and I'm afraid they are going to make this a habit. I'm not sure if it's just because they can't figure out how to get up the ladder or don't realize that's where they are supposed to sleep. I assumed they would go where the warmth is because it's getting down to the low to mid 40's at night. Any suggestions?

 

[ShannonO]

Tonight marks the ninth night of my birds in their run/coops combo. After pouring over this thread, and eight nights of putting the chicks in their henhouse each night, THEY WENT IN ON THEIR OWN! Sweet victory! Hooray!

 

[Darren button]

Sounds to me like you just put them in a new coop outside. If such is the case, your chickens do not yet associate the inside part of the coop as home. Chickens naturally want to roost someplace they feel safe. (home) My suggestions is to lock them inside the coop for a few days and they will learn where home is. This has always worked for me. Good luck!

We have a small coop and am wondering whete to put food and water if keep in for 24 hours?

 

[Fire Captain]

My ladies are 110 days old. They’ve been in their 10x20 roofed enclosed run for two months. An interior coop with an automatic door closes at sunset. A light bulb on a timer is set to go on an hour before sunset and off an hour afterwards. Some days all six go in. Some nights only two or three go in and the others are locked out. I’m tired of having to go out every night using a powerful flashlight to trigger the auto door to open to allow the stragglers to enter the coop. Frustrated!! Any suggestions?

 

[whit246]

Most i can say is, keep doing what your doing..they will get it soon enough. Possibly lock them in the coop for a day and see if that helps. But all my new girls will sleep out in the run aswell..try to go out early and put them in there before dark.

 

[whit246]

ty right down n the road in tillson