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

[jlund2]

We hung cabbage in the coop last night and the coops were all tucked in bed on their own again tonight??????

I don't know I just want to make sure they are warm. That's my only concern.

 

[PatriotDad]

I used a light last night and found that for the first time mine went into the coop at dusk, well most of them did. So a light inside the coop worked for me.

 

[gunnyhighway78]

Love the Forum! I have been raising chickens only 4 years but I love my girls and my rooster of course, "Mr RuRu." All of my girls have always went into the coop at night until my latest group. We just added 40 more to the family since some of the older ones passed on. I have been bring them in the coop with a flashlight. I have a very large and what I consider nice clean coop. I have plenty of perch area so the other girls don't feel their comfort zone is being violated. I am going to try some of the above suggestions and thank you.

 

[wjreese]

We're still having this problem! We have seventeen near-adult chickens and a new (huge) coop. Rather than go in the coop at night, they all huddle outside in a corner of the run. We've tried locking them in the coop for a couple days, and putting a light on in the coop. No dice. I'm looking outside at them now (it's dusk) and they're starting to huddle again. We're getting desperate! Any other tricks up your sleeves?

 

[gunnyhighway78]

I have done the same things as you. I don't get it.

 

[Koniucha]

My five are now outside full time. They still wait at the back door when it is bed time and I carry each one to the coop.

 

[gunnyhighway78]

I put an orange color light bulb in today I will try that tonight. I will let you know

 

[EricandJeri]

I know your post is old, and hopefully your chickens are no longer doing that, but for the sake of others having the same problem I wanted to reply. I have 13 assorted pullets, 8 weeks old. They have been out of the brooder and in the coop / run for about 2 weeks. Every single night, they would huddle up in a corner of the run facing the wall of the coop, like the lady in the final scene of The Blair Witch Project, if that means anything to you! Anyway, after herding them for 2 weeks into the coop every night, not easy, I read on here to turn on a light in the coop before dusk and that they would go in because they go to the lightest place, which before was the run because there is a halogen light on a nearby building. Today I did that, hung a 100 watt bulb, because that was what was handy, and when I went out at 6:30 the girls were ALL inside the coop! Hallelujah! I visited for a bit then said goodnite and turned off the light! Thank you Backyard Chickens!!!!

 

[backboneacres]

Thank you all for the tips... I had chickens before without this problem but we have been herding our 17 eight week old chickens in EVERY night for the last 4 weeks, and it's been COLD outside chasing chickens around the run while they hide in difficult places to reach! I've tried the food and I have had a light in the coop so I thought I just had a flock of dummies!? (nope, I'm the dummy!) I found one of your posts regarding the red and white lights and the light bulb went off in my brain!... the light I have in their coop is a red heat lamp... I will change that to a white bulb tomorrow!
Thanks so much for the advice... I"m hoping this saves us a lot of late night labor!

 

[ellahere]

OK - I have tried the food. and tried the light in the coop (both with a heat-lamp and with a standard white torch/flashlight). I have 3 silkie chicks and I think silkies may just be too dim to figure this out. They are not keen on roosting at all! I call them chicks but not they are 11 weeks old and I have been 'lifting' them in each night for a month now.
Any other ideas? I think maybe I will lock them in for a couple of days and see if that works - seems cruel but kind...