Flock switched to tree roosting

[chocluver]

Thanks for all the advice. I have cleaned the coop today, can't see evidence of mites anywhere nor on the birds themselves. They slept in the tree again, 15 metres high, 30 ft up so they reasonably safe (our predators are red fox and badger) but obviously I want them back in the coop. There are no mice (we have cats)

I have put a pen around the entrance and three attempts this morning have failed. They tentatively go to the seed outside the coop then run away before I can close the pen. Yet at the back of the coop (no door) they are pecking and scratching all around and going very close. I even tried cat biscuits as they love them but they still got spooked.

Planning to try again every hours in the hope they get the idea but I am not feeling confident. The snow is expected to arrive next weekend and the coop was meant to move to the barn before then but I think it is best not to move it yet. I am concerned they will suffer when the temperature drops

 

[chocluver]

Hi again,

No joy at all, they will just not go in, feed right outside but if I try and close the pen they bolt and are faster than me. Anyone have another suggestion? A net?

 

[aart]

You might try rigging something to close the gate from afar...a rope or wire operated from 'out of sight' or at least farther away.

I had to do this to capture a stray hen, it took a long time(a week or more) and much patience and some ingenuity.
Rigged a crate in a shed not far(25') from another shed where I could hide but see.
Wire attached to crate door in a way that pulling wire closed to door, other end of wire in 'hiding' shed.
All of this visible from my living room window where I could observe her movements.
Left crate door open with feed for days until she got used to going in there, she would go in every evening before roosting in bushes. One evening I snuck out and pulled the wire, capturing her...first go at this, I pulled too hard and broke the wire..took another couple days to get another shot at it.

 

[chocluver]

Before reading your post, something like that had crossed my mind and I quickly pushed it out for being absurd! My husband was all for it after reading your post and designed it last night. Then this morning (before complicated wire system was installed) we caught the two hens!

That leaves the dominant roo out on his own (the one crowing as loud as possible from the top of a tree in the middle of our neighbours houses.....at 5:40am. How popular are we!)

He is now hanging around outside the coop instead of his morning wander so maybe we can entice him to follow his ladies

Feeling much happier, overnight temp dropping to -20°c this weekend so I was getting concerned I would find them frozen in the tree

 

[aart]

Before reading your post, something like that had crossed my mind and I quickly pushed it out for being absurd! My husband was all for it after reading your post and designed it last night. Then this morning (before complicated wire system was installed) we caught the two hens!

That leaves the dominant roo out on his own (the one crowing as loud as possible from the top of a tree in the middle of our neighbours houses.....at 5:40am. How popular are we!)

He is now hanging around outside the coop instead of his morning wander so maybe we can entice him to follow his ladies

Feeling much happier, overnight temp dropping to -20°c this weekend so I was getting concerned I would find them frozen in the tree

Great!
Hopefully you can catch the other one and keep them all locked up.
Keep the wire trigger trap in mind tho, it can work...necessity is the mother of invention.

 

[chocluver]

He stayed next to the coop with his girls all day. They went to bed, I opened the run and he ran in, pecking at the door for it to be opened quicker All safe and sound

 

[Peeps61]

I know you are relieved! I am going to have to capture all of mine and lock them in because they are starting to lay and they aren't using the boxes. I have to play Easter Egg Hunt every time I collect eggs. I live in NW Florida, so the temps aren't such a big concern here. My little pullets have taken to roosting in the rafters of the barn, rather than the coop. My older ladies still roost faithfully in the coop, so it's a matter of getting them in with some mealworms, then shutting the gate on the run.