Do my chickens hate their coop THAT much?

[hispoptart]

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No help here but dang that first sentence was funny!!!!!!

 

[nunlef]

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Yeah, funny for you. You're not the one who has neighbors talking -"did you see that girl, running around hollering at chickens. she should probably just stick to raising those kids, what with them playing outside and riding a bus to school,...." (please use super snobby moderately southern accent when read)

OK,
I had to take pics with the iPhone, so they aren't the best. Also, The only thing that was purchased was 2 sheets of plywood, everything else was leftovers from our fence. I painted it all one color, so from the road it looks half decent

The roost can be seen across the front of the coop

and BTW, thanks so much for all the responses. I really like these dumb chickens, and I want to keep them for a long time.

 

[BWKatz]

It might help to extend the ladder all the way to the door (after removing the roost) and add rungs to it. I think the roost may be distracting them. BTW I think it is a very nice little coop and well maintained.

 

[featherz]

I think that's a cute coop! You should see some of mine.

I'd also suggest the roost should touch the door. The ramp is narrow so I second adding some 'rungs' with some spare wood. And looks like you have room to move the interior roost up a bit, so I'd do that. Might also be too close to the wall?

 

[gale65]

I agree about stapling the plastic down better. Today the tarp on our run was a little bit sagged due to snow. After the chickens were all locked in for the night dh knocked the snow off and just that noise had them flappin around inside the coop. With plastic moving right near them on the roost it might be scary for them.

 

[auto5man]

Now here is a pic of mine so you can see how awesomely cute yours is! And my chickens go in every night, no problems. Mine is more or less, open air, so I had to winterize a bit with tarps to block wind completely.

That being said, I think all advice so far has merit. With the windy valley you are describing the flapping plastic is probably scaring them, spend some time stapling that down well. The ramp is skinny and needs 1x2's across like a ladder, there feet need something besides smooth wood for purchase. (that is not the problem though, if they REALLY want in they will just fly up skipping the ramp, but they at least need a purchase board towards the top of the ramp)

Is that the roost at an angle across the corner? Doesn't look roomy enough or high enough, I would stretch it across from side to side in the peak of the roof. I'm no expert and on my first flock but my six like to bunch up together against one wall, packed in tight for warmth, so the roost board should be long enough that several can line up on at right angles to the coop wall.

I still think its the flapping plastic scaring them. How long or how dark are you letting it get before you round them up?

 

[oberhaslikid]

I have used a solar yard light inside the coop or a tap light to train young birds once moved outside to a new coop.
As chicks they gather to the light and after about 4-5 nights of this I remove the light they learn to go inside for the night.
Give it a try.

 

[AinaWGSD]

I also agree that the plastic might be an issue. Try stretching it tight and adding more staples so that it doesn't flap in the wind. Also trim the extra plastic with scissors or a box cutter, if the coop is a little drafty then the excess plastic will flap in the draft in addition to the plastic over the window making noise in the breeze if it is too loose. I wrap the outside of my run in plastic on the north and west sides in winter to cut the wind (makes a huge difference in how comfy the run is!) and while the girls are all ok with it once I get it up they all run around like the sky is falling while I'm fighting with the plastic to get it on the run. If it breaks free in a strong wind and flaps that also scares them.

I didn't see anything about how long you've had these chickens (although I will admit that I just woke up so maybe I missed it), but most people agree that you need to lock new chickens in the coop and/or run for about a week or so until they realize where "home" is. When our first chickens went out to the coop we weren't quite done building the run, so they were locked in the coop itself by default and we only took them out for outside play time when we were home. They were confined to the space under the coop with dog panel crates, they were in that everything-is-scary-teenage stage at the time so we didn't let them "free range" because we knew that it would be a battle and chase to catch them up. By the time we got the run constructed, they knew very well where home was and put themselves to bed every night. When we added a few new chickens to our flock this fall, we quarantined them in an A-frame tractor that was first in the garage (away from the other chickens) and then moved into the yard for a week so that everyone could see each other but not actually get to each other. When we put the new chickens in the big coop with the rest of the flock I made the mistake of not shutting up the tractor and lo and behold, all three of the new chickens put themselves to bed in the tractor instead of the coop. Shutting the tractor so that they didn't have access was all it took, they then followed the other birds' lead and put themselves to bed in the coop the next night.

So what I would do is make any fixes to make the coop more comfortable (ie battening down the plastic and maybe rearranging the roost) and then lock them in the coop and don't let them out into the run for at least 4-5 days (a full week would probably be better). Once they figure out that roosting in the coop is safe and comfy, they should put themselves to bed when the sun goes down each night. And if they don't, waiting until just after sunset will allow you to just walk up to them and pick them up to put them back in the coop rather than stressing everyone, yourself included, by chasing chickens all over the yard.

 

[Nicole01]

The only time I have a hard time getting them back in is when I just let them out. The hawks will spot and hunt my chickens with me right there. They free range pretty far from the coop, so if my children are home, they know to help me. I had a dog try to eat my chickens once, so we grabbed them and put them in the basement(luckily unfinished). The coop was too far and the dog was a roaming dog, I didn't want to get bit either.

My chickens prefer to be free ranging, but they make their way back to the coop in an hour after I let them out. I'm sure it's for a drink. I only provide water free ranging on hot days. I do supervise them outside at all times. Too many predators in the sky and dogs.

Even the neighbors are commenting they never seen do many hawks around before.

 

[trooper]

Your coop looks fine.It looks better than mine did when I got started.A few modifications and it will last you along time.I can't really tell you anything that hasn't already been said except welcome to chickens and to byc.

You will find good info here and get really good ideas.Like a kid in a candy store.Good luck,you'll be ok.

:cd As for the one that keeps flying away you may have to extend youre fence higher or clip it's wings.That way you don't have to get your exercise by chasing chickens.Let us know how it turns out.