Fed up of pullets refusing to go in coop!

[hellfire]

Im at my wits end with the 12 hens I hatched this year. Now 15 weeks old. For 3 weeks since letting them out into the field with the rest of the flock, I’ve been catching them after dark to put them in.
They keep going back to the chick pen and sitting outside on the grass or hose reel.
I’ve tried feeding them in the big coop, a light inside, guiding them in. Nothing is working.
I’ve never ever had them take this long and be so stubborn!!
I’m fed up of scrabbling and chasing them stressing me and them!
There’s no mites in my big coop. Yeah the older hens will give them a bit of a peck when first putting them in but that’s it. They are all happily out in the day mixed.
Locking them in the coop isn’t really an option. Although it’s large as far as coops go I’d not feel happy locking them and the older hens, plus my cockerel all in for days.
Any suggestions? I really am so fed up and actually left them the other night as gave up slipping over in the wet. If the fox breaches my fence they are gone!
These hens just run blindly even in the dark. I’ve hatched feathered devils this year!!!

 

[ForFlocksSake]

I had one chicken do this for a while. Everyone would be inside and id find her sleeping on top of the water bucket or something every evening. I just kept putting her inside the coop and eventually she caught on. I can see it being super frustrating to have to do it with 12 though, and also they act as their own flock and do as the others do for the most part, so if all 12 are camping out its way more difficult. At this point too they're probably way to big to lock them in their own smaller pen inside the coop so others can still come and go.

I would just keep on putting them where they go every evening. Maybe a little earlier so they can see inside when they get there?

Sorry for this. I would also be super annoyed haha

 

[ChicNmom]

Is the chick pen portable? Could you move it closer to the coop or if you have a run put it in the run?

I give mine treats before bed so they know the good stuff is at the coop at dusk.

 

[hellfire]

Is the chick pen portable? Could you move it closer to the coop or if you have a run put it in the run?

I give mine treats before bed so they know the good stuff is at the coop at dusk.

No it’s not. It’s an old piggery stone building with a very large walk in mesh pen attached. I use it for brooding.
Chickens in one, turkeys in another. It’s bigger than my coop so guessing they aren’t happy at downsizing

 

[hellfire]

I had one chicken do this for a while. Everyone would be inside and id find her sleeping on top of the water bucket or something every evening. I just kept putting her inside the coop and eventually she caught on. I can see it being super frustrating to have to do it with 12 though, and also they act as their own flock and do as the others do for the most part, so if all 12 are camping out its way more difficult. At this point too they're probably way to big to lock them in their own smaller pen inside the coop so others can still come and go.

I would just keep on putting them where they go every evening. Maybe a little earlier so they can see inside when they get there?

Sorry for this. I would also be super annoyed haha

If I put them in earlier the little devils shoot out. Not only that if there’s any daylight left I can’t catch them. They’ll eat out my hand yet try to get them and it’s game over.
Unless I get them all in the chick pen and corner them. Hate stressing them out so much.

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

They’re kinda their own flock right now, since they’re younger than the mature hens. They probably don’t feel welcome in the big coop. When they start laying, they should start integrating into the hen flock, and then hopefully start following them in. Sometimes all it takes is one brave pullet, and the others follow her lead.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Does the big coop have its own run? Just thinking maybe they could be bribed into the run early which means all chickens that ccop there would need to be in early.

 

[Jenbirdee]

join the club. except i feel for you because i only have 3 . 3 to catch on a muddy hill in thunderstorm ! they are impossible to catch.! i’m really mad at them right now! ducks and geese march right in their quarters but chickens!?! peck no!!

 

[hellfire]

Does the big coop have its own run? Just thinking maybe they could be bribed into the run early which means all chickens that ccop there would need to be in early.

No it doesn’t but thinking I should put poultry netting around it and keep them all in that close to the coop. The fields a fair size.

 

[hellfire]

This is the field. Green is the coop, blue the brooding pens. I have shut the gate to the brooding pens fenced area to stop them going in that part. The brooding pens have a separate fenced grass area.
I’m currently putting poultry netting around the coop. Not ideal as had a duck die years ago in poultry netting so I’m a bit apprehensive!