Getting a Free Range Hen into a Coop

[Charleen's R Hen]

Hi! I am new to raising chickens. We have a free range hen who just showed up in our yard. We bought a coop and are now trying to train her to come to the coop at night. Does anyone have any suggestions?:

 

[CarolJ]

Put some dried mealworms in a cup. Shake the cup (make it noisy) and say "Here, chick, chick" (or whatever phrase you want to use). Then let her have some of the mealworms. Keep doing that every day until she associates the sound of the mealworms being shaken in the cup and your voice saying, "Here, chick, chick" to the treat of mealworms. It only took me a couple days to train my chickens - and now all I have to do is get the cup and they come running.

Also - once you get her in the coop, you might want to leave her there for about a week. That way she HAS to roost in the coop and she'll learn that's where she roosts at night. Then she'll return to the coop/roost each evening.

 

[rcentner]

Quote:

definately leave her in the the coop for a week that works very well. corn works good too