Getting chicken in coop at night

[Lulabell Farm]

I was having that same issue as I do supervised free ranging and need them to coop up on my schedule. The chicken chase was getting very old,especially with my road runner bantam. Then someone suggested I try dried meal worms. Shake it and they come running. I was skeptical it would be that easy but desperate. After I ordered them on amazon I found them at Lowes Home Improvement for $6. my plan was to ONLY give them when they got in the coop. Day 2 a group of my friends tots came to see the chickens and somehow the meal worm bucket got in their hands and half was gone before I knew it. So much for it being special. I put them away for 4 days hoping they would be craving them and sure enough, after 2 days it worked. Shake the container and stand by the open run door and call chickie chickie. They do come running. Of course I may have one that gets nervous and circles the coop (they're still young) but when they see the others eating the "delicious" meal worms it doesn't take long to get them in. I think the key is to make this a special treat that they ONLY get when they go in the coop or run. Gosh I hope it keeps working!!

 

[cjpines]

Someone on this forum suggested using a battery powered light in the coop, and it worked for me! Around dusk or sooner, I just put a little battery powered flashlight in there and they got curious and came walking in. I was shocked! Totally worked. I did it a few more nights just to form the habit and then I stopped. They've been putting themselves to bed ever since.

I left it on for just 30-40 minutes after they went in the coop so they could get settled, then I turned it off.

Good luck. Mine were doing the same thing as yours. Sitting in a pile in the corner of the run looking all confused. The light did the trick.

What time did you put the light on? Where we live it doesn't get dusk until 8 or 9ish. Why would they want to see a light in the coop that early?

 

[sheetmetaltom]

I find its easier to get them to learn where they should be by putting them in the coop in the dark. they wake up in the morning where they are supposed to be. the second night most will go straight to the roost and the others will follow within a day or two. as for chicken wire I don't use it. I use 2x4 galv wire, over that on the bottom 3 feet I use 1/2x1" wire so that coons and possums cant reach through and grab anyone. the extra cost is well worth it, since I don't have to deal with a chicken massacre and the skip in egg production that happens when you keep having to start over with chicks.

 

[Peeps61]

Mine were about 5 weeks old when I moved them to the coop. They just flocked together under the coop in the run, rather than climbing up into the coop. I solved that by putting a light in the coop and leaving it on until I went to bed. As soon as I did that, the chicks all headed for the coop since they could see that, but not so well in the run. After a bit, they were trained and I did not need the light anymore. A battery powered light is good, or a simple light fixture with a bulb and an extension cord. You can remove it when you don't need it any longer, or leave it for cold weather if you think you might need it to add extra light hours to the hens' days.

 

[Peeps61]

To CJPines,

I think the chicks like the light because of the indoor brooders many of them come from. It's a familar sight, so they move to it inside the coop. Turning it off after they are in and it gets dark is much easier than trying to pick each chick up and put it in the coop. That's my theory on why it worked for me, anyway.

 

[cjpines]

To CJPines,

I think the chicks like the light because of the indoor brooders many of them come from. It's a familar sight, so they move to it inside the coop. Turning it off after they are in and it gets dark is much easier than trying to pick each chick up and put it in the coop. That's my theory on why it worked for me, anyway.

Why would they like the light when it's still sunny outside? How would that get them in?

 

[Peeps61]

It was beginning to get dark. I live in NW Florida, and the chicks would be in the run as dusk fell. I would turn the light on and they would move to the coop then. They don't hang out in the coop during the daytime even now, unless they are laying eggs. Other than that, they like the run better. As youngsters, the light would draw them to the coop when it was beginning to get dark. They can't see very well in the dark and felt more comfortable where the light was.

 

[Lulabell Farm]

This trick CHANGED MY LIFE. I do supervised free ranging and need my chicks to coop up on command when I need them to. I was completely over doing the "chicken chase" . Several people told me to use dried meal worms. They go crazy for it and will come running when you shake the jar. Too good to be true I thought but I was desperate & found some at Lowes Home Improvement. They had never had them before so I shook the container and threw some in the run. They went WILD for it. A few days later, all I have to do is shake the container and call CHICKIE CHICKIE. They come running and get in their run and I throw a few handfuls in and shut the door. I ONLY give them the meal worms (which I now call chicken crack) when they coop up for me. It really worked and fast!!

When I first moved mine to the coop at 6 weeks, they huddled in the corner as well. They love each other and I'm sure this made them feel secure. They did this for a while and finally one night I peeked in and they were all wing to wing on the top roost and now sleep there every night. I think it just takes them a little bit of time to adjust and figure it out.

 

[Peeps61]

Ha ha! Chicken crack - I'll have to remember that one! TSC sells a big bag of mealworms called mealworm frenzy. My BO's just about grab the bag out of my hands when I got to put them in at night and I shake it! It's a lot easier to get them in the coop that way than herding or chasing them!

 

[marcid]

Cjpine, I put the light in there about 30 minutes before dusk/dark. It was earlier in the year when I did it but I would think it would work now too. Dusk is when mine start heading into their coop.