Chickens won't go into coop after predator got in...can't find any eggs!

[EllieandOlive]

Two weeks ago we found two young opossums laying in the nesting boxes of our coop. Ever since, my chickens won't go in there at night to roost, or to lay. They roost on the fence outside our barn and I haven't found a single egg in 2 weeks! Only 3 are laying currently, so it should still be a fair amount of missing eggs. We have a large property and the chickens free range. I don't know how to get them in their coop, otherwise I would lock them in for a day or two. They occasionally go in their coop to eat their pellets, but not consistently/all together. cross posted in another forum.

 

[Duckee]

About 3 months ago I had 2 feral cats get in my coop and kill 4 of my young pullets. I fixed the access point and locked all my remaining girls up for 3 days. It worked. They free ranged and went back to the coop at night after that. BUT my 6 year old dominate hen that still laid 4-5 times a week stopped laying and became the "Rooster" of the flock and does the job well.

 

[rosemarythyme]

I assume the chickens aren't trained to come to you at all?

If you know where they roost at night you could just go snag them once it's dark, and then put them into the coop from there.

 

[aart]

If you know where they roost at night you could just go snag them once it's dark, and then put them into the coop from there.

Ditto Dat!