Cochins won't go in the lil' coop, and it's snowing...did it, got them

[jktrahan]

Please keep us informed. I am having he same issue with 2 newa bantam cochins and 1 bantam rooster. They have an ark\ ractor with a run at the bottom and coop on the top half. I just got all of these birds over the weekend. The first night, I waited until after dark and seen that they did not go up the latter to the nesting boxes. I reached in and put them in the top part of the tractor and left them there till morning. The next morning they did not come down I kinda waved them down the stairs to get them out of the top part of the house and back down stairs to the water and food.

Thonight sameting, snuggled up the the rooster at the bottom level, so i wait a few hours and then go and put the in the top part of the cage. I was laying out some more hay in the battom earlier and i did seem them get on the later to go up stairs but neither of them made it all the way up.

From what i'm reading i should keep putting them to bed at night then bring them down in the morning and they will everntually get it own their own, is that right? I kinda feel sorry for the rooster, all alone at the bottom. He was snuggling pretty good with the hens before I took them away and put them up. Should I start putting him up as well? I have perches where he can roost inside the top of the cage (outside the hen house) but he just cuddles up on the floor as well


Also, my chicken tractor \\ ark is placed within my fenced in garden. I would love to be able to come home in the evening and let the birds out to run around for about an hour, just before sunset. Right now if I open the front access door, no one comes out. I'm scarred if they do it may take me a while to get them back in at dusk.

Is there some way I should be training them to achieve this behavior or will it eventually come?

Thank you everyone for a great community

Sorry, can't post pictures until my status is upgraded: I started building raised beds for my garden Jan 1st 2011 and realized i could build and Arc or Tractor to sit atop the raised beds filled with compost, etc.. then cover with hay and let the chickens run on that for a week then move them to another raised be to help fertilize...


themtrahans.com/wordpress

 

[bburn]

First....welcome to BYC....there are answers to everything you want to know about chickens here!

Cochins are so darn sweet.....

I had to go out again last night and put them in. Once again they were cuddled up in their corner with Harry protecting the girls and it was drizziling out there. A week will probably do it. I did find a tiny led flashlight that needed batteries and put it in the lil' coop. Tonight I will go out and turn it on early and see if they go in at dark. Someone posted that might work.

But I can attest to the fact that they will go in on their own...eventually.

Our big flock had to be herded in for a few days before they started going in on their own and that was this last spring.

The Barred Rocks...there are six of them.....when we built their coop my husband had to go out for about three evenings and herd them in and still the pullets tried to sleep outside. They finally got it.

Now, the same thing with the Cochins. And they will start going in after a few times of me doing this....I believe.

The worst thing right now is how cold it is. We had snow. Now today the wind is blowing like crazy. I just peeked out the window and no one is out although I have heard crowing. I HAVE to go out myself shortly and open the pop door on the cochins lil' coop because their water is outside.....besides everyones water is probably frozen.

Yours are probably having issues with the ramp as well as being in a new place. Put all of them inside after dark. They are really sleepy after they pile up together and they will most likely stay once you put them up. And you might have to help them back down the ramp in the mornings. I have read where people put their favorite treat on the ramp to get them to come out on their own.

Chickens are chicken and they simply do not like change. All change is suspect....like it is going to kill them or something.

It just was so sweet when I went out the first night and the girls were flat on the ground with Harry between them and on top with his wings spread protecting them from the snow....he was covered with it.

Oh, and after a while you will be able to let them out while you are out there.....they should go back in by themselves....but you might have to put them in a few times. I can let mine out into the garden spot while I am out there.....usually right before dusk...and they will go back in on their own. If they don't I throw scratch or some treat into the run and they all swarm in.

 

[bburn]

Night three: Success!! I put the little LED flashlight in and turned it on around 430....right before dusk....of course the big momma escaped into the big run when I was going in through the gate and I had to rescue her which made the BO roo concerned and he actually came at me a bit and got the boot.....it was simply concern for a hen. But I got her back in and turned on the flashlight. Just now....almost 6pm our time I went out and sure enough...Sweet Harry and the mommas were in the lil' coop!

I got my call out for work and start tomorrow and leave the house before 530 am.....have the nephew coming home from work around 6am that is going to come over and check on everyone and water them. It will be dark tomorrow before we get in....hate it but at least it is just 4 days a week for a while.

Hoping for winter to get over quickly!!

 

[jktrahan]

Congradulations!

,

I could not take it any longer, i just went out and checked on my girls and they were both huddled up downstairs with the rooster. I must say, it was pretty warm in there for being in the lower 30's. I told myself earlier i did not want to seperate them tonight because it was going to be so cold and the rooster does not go upstairs either by himself and i can't get in there and get him to put him upstairs. The cochins just sit there when i open the back door but the rooster walks off.

They did come down by themselves for the first time this morning, so maybe they are catching on ( I never knew you could train a chicken, ha). I put some golf balls up there for them. Tomorrow i will have to try the flashlight. I tried to find one of those yard lights you stick in the ground on a stake and i was going to cut a hole in the side of the coop so that it charges during the day, comes on at night, and drains the battery after a few hours. But no luck finding any in stock yet.

 

[bburn]

Started work.....so had to have help this morning from my nephew to let the chickens all out...tonight when I came home that was the first thing I did was go out and check on them....it was dark and the BRs and the mixed flock were already on their roosts. I closed thier doors and when to check on the sweetiehearts. They were in the coop! No light tonight. So I closed thier door....

AND today at lunch I went to Fred's and found a package of three LED lights that you push to make them come on.....and you can stick them up or there is a magnet. My coop walls....the upper part are tin. Stuck that light right on there and turned it on. Package of three was under $4!

I am so proud of them!

Yours are going to 'get' it....the rooster will get tired of being out there by himself and will finally go up with the girls. And they can be trained! They are such creatures of habits......

Look for the little stick up LED lights.....go out about a half hour before dark and push the light on. Could not believe that it worked so well! We all learn from everyone else.........

 

[jktrahan]

Well the light in the coop after dark works.

I let everyone out when I got home to run around in the garden, about an hour before dark. Threw out a little chicken scratch for the 1st time and watched them go ape crazy over it. Put a heat lamp on the second story in the coop and then left, with the hens and the rooster still in the garden. I went back and checked on them just after dark and they were all up in the coop, even the rooster! That was the first time they climbed the later and the first time rooster had gone up in the coop as well, so i can sure say that the light does work if anyone else is having trouble.

Thanks again...

 

[bburn]

aren't they pretty....and have'nt we learned alot just this week!!

 

[jktrahan]

Yes, I sure have learned alot. the girls must have notice as well, they told me "thank you" this morning with a little brown egg by their back door!!

 

[bburn]

a little gift for you....for providing them food and now light! Yeah you!