Chickens won't go into coop at night

[bobbieschicks]

When we first installed our automatic door my then 4wk old Leghorns didn't want to go through it - it makes a weird whining noise opening/closing and they didn't care for it. It took about 3 or 4 nights of me going out there and putting them through their door after the darn thing had already closed up tight (I would do "test" to raise it again and then "test" to lower it after I got everyone inside). We made quite alot of squaking with them jumping back out the human door the second I put them through the chicken door! I figured out I really didn't need to put them in as they eventually went inside all by themselves at dusk.

At first, in the a.m. they would crowd around the human door and wait for me to open it to let them out. Some however would dart out of the chicken door and then they would hop up and down from inside the human entrance rather than use the ramp/chicken door as I'm standing there cleaning or giving them food. I just kept putting them through their door and eventually I think they understood that was their way in/out. Now they rush out as soon as the auto door opens and rush to the run gate hoping to go freeranging - which I only do for now in the evenings. I never used an extra light - they just go in each night before it gets too dark - usually around 8 pm and they huddle together in the corner by the human door and pile up. It's cute to watch them sleeping together - but I wish they would use that wonderful roost/manure area I created for them.

Here's my set up - human door is on left with pull up plexiglass window with hardware cloth for ventilation - chicken door is the opening on the right.

 

[keita]

We have six chickens...they are about four to five months old and will not go into the coop at night. They walk up the ramp and cluster in the doorway. so that it's filled. They squeeze under each other, sit on top of each other......the doorway becomes one big mass of feathers! Last night I went into the cage and just gave a light push and they all fell inside! Then they squeezed into the doorway again!

Today we had a really crazy storm. There is a 4 x 4' area under the coop where they all ran. I was afraid they would end up standing drenched in the mud so I got drenched catching them and putting them all in the coop. The lightening and thunder claps were so bad I didn't stay around to see if they stayed in. Tonight they are in the doorway again.

I'm going to try the light tomorrow night. Any other suggestions? What about when they get ready to lay? Will they find the nesting boxes on their own or is that another training process? ( We am obviously new to this!!)

 

[Puddin Fluff]

I am not having a problem getting mine in but getting them to roost. I have a blended pen going of 1 year olds and 3 month olds. They were seperated by a partition and had their own spaces but we have since removed the babies temporary roost and added another to where the hens were. The babies will use it in the day, but not at night, and not all of them. Unfortunatly their favorite place to pile at night is right under where the hens roost and they end up with poop on them by morning. How long until they decide roosting is better than getting pooped on?