Getting Chickens Back Into Their Coop

[chrismid]

I'm a new member and new to chickens. And I've run into my first problem. When I got my two chickens, they were about three months old. I have an old chicken tractor with two nesting boxes. I kept them in it for a week and then let them out during the day. At first they very willingly went back into the chicken tractor at night, roosting on top of the nesting boxes. But all of a sudden one night they don't want to go back into the coop for reasons that are unclear. And nothing I've tried for luring them in has worked so far. They seem to have found an alternate evening roost on the window airconditioning unit of my studio (which only runs during the day when I'm using the space.) We're in the process of building a new coop. I'm looking for suggestions on how to get them to use it once it is finished. And perhaps to lure them back into the chicken tractor in the meantime.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Hi and

Sorry to hear you are having problems. Maybe you could put some scratch feed or some special treat down in the tractor. If you do manage to get them back in there maybe keep them in there for another week. Once you get them in the new coop then keep them in there for a week or so. Hopefully it will all work out.

 

[AmyBella]

I can usually lure mine back to the coop with treats. If the treats don't work, there is always the rake... they are afraid of my leaf rake so I occasional use it to herd them!

Once in awhile I have to pick somebody up and bring them to the coop, but for the most part, they always return there when it gets dark. I wonder if there are parasites in the chicken tractor? Maybe they are biting the chickens at night so they don't want to sleep there?

 

[chickee]

I give my chicks/chickens Quaker oats every morning as a treat. The chicks get quick oats in their feeder and come running into their house for them. Makes it really easy to lock them in when needed

Maybe your chicken tractor is too hot at night and they are looking for a cooler spot to roost? And when all else fails, I also use the rake

GOOD LUCK!

 

[chrismid]

Thanks for the helpful comments. I went out and looked in the tractor. In one corner of a nesting box I found a pile of what looked like the larval stage of some kind of insect. Looked like maggots, but smaller. So I washed the chicken tractor out and we'll see what happens tonight. I'll try the treat thing again. They like oatmeal, rice and raisins.

Any recommendation on the best material to put in the nesting boxes?

 

[santa6642]

I use straw and better yet wood shavings, work very well also.