Coop problems help

[gog8tors]

A couple of weeks ago, something got into the coop. We never could figure out what it was. Anyway the chickens have decided that the coop is not a good place to be. My husband checked it for holes, and easy/hard accesses, and fixed the holes he could find. But, the flock is still not wanting to roost in the coop at all now.
What can I do to get them back where they belong?

 

[TheMauveDuck]

Well honestly I've never had this problem before. Though as a chicken and animal owner in general there are logical ways of resolving this issue. You could wash the coop out of anything that may smell like the intruder (our dog barks at gopher holes and animal tracks because he still smells life on them lol). Otherwise try enticing them in with a favourite treat. Make them feel comfortable there again. Speak softly and let them know their safe, after the alpha chickens calm down the rest should follow. There might still be remnants of the visitor that you can't smell or see and that's what's freaking them out.
Did the animal injure any of them? Do you know at all what it could've been?

 

[Folly's place]

Fix all your problem areas as far as predator access is concerned, and have their food and water in the coop. Move them back to the coop to roost at night, even if it means fun times with the big fishnet in the dark. They've had a scare, or for some reason their coop isn't as comfortable as their new roosting spot. Mary

 

[gog8tors]

When all this started 2 weeks ago, one of the silkes did get hurt (not badly) but the flock still went into the coop at the time. This not going in has started this past Friday. We did move them back into the coop on Fri. and yesterday, we were out of town on Sat. and I didn't want the petsitter to have to deal with getting them back in the coop.

I'll try the suggestions though, and hopefully that will fix the issue.

 

[TheMauveDuck]

Maybe there's a different issue, or maybe they're just being stubborn. Are they resisting the coop or just spending less time in it? The silkie might be the one who's afraid and thus inflicting it's behavior on the others. Do you lock them in at night?

 

[gog8tors]

They're not wanting to go into the coop, at all, even though their food, and water is in there. I hate to keep them in the coop all the time, but I'm wondering if that is what I need to do.
I think the silky that got hurt, might have been picked off by some kind of wild life. She disappeared the other day, during the day. They weren't in the coop at the time. Now she has done the disappearing act before when she went broody, but I'm not sure that's what happened this time.

We have 2 Rode Island red hens, 2 Rode island mixed hens, now that the one silky has disappeared, we just have one more left. We also have an Americana Rooster.

 

[TheMauveDuck]

There might of been something still in the area that got her, hopefully she comes back. You should try to force them into the coop, they'll hate it but after spending a few nights in there they should be used to it again. Luring them in with treats is probably not enough at this point.

 

[jeanetteiacovon]

There might of been something still in the area that got her, hopefully she comes back. You should try to force them into the coop, they'll hate it but after spending a few nights in there they should be used to it again. Luring them in with treats is probably not enough at this point. 

have you checked for a snake that may be in the coop?