Getting the chicks to go back into the coop.

[MI55TR355]

Here it is, I've seen two that go inside by way of the ladder in the day time. But never for sleeping

 

[mamatink7]

They have no problem coming out of the coop in the morning on their own and down the ladder. But they never go all thr way inside on their own. I always find them in the evening huddled together on the ground. I love them inside by hand.
Any advice?

if you are able to, pick a time frame of when you want them inside by each day. Start getting them in 30 minutes before. Lure them inside or to follow you with treats or some other way.
For us personally, this had been the worst thing with our chickens. Until they started laying, now we just pat them-they squat-we get them into coop. Majority of the time however, they are bushel from being out most of the day that majority of them are in already and we shut the coop and get the rest. Generally it's only a few stragglers and always the youngest 3/ new to the coop routine and non layers.
We lure them into coop by tapping a stick under the opposite coop side and they run to the door side.
One of us goes inside coop w a Banana and they come running to the coop. Then the straggler big girls come the stick way.
Today was very rough for 10 of them as it was a shorter (9-2; instead of regular 730-6) outside day.
This all takes time to get them used to this routine but it's important to do so.

 

[mamatink7]

Also, I have been adding treats night

put some scratch by entrance and inside the coop.

 

[mamatink7]

Here it is, I've seen two that go inside by way of the ladder in the day time. But never for sleeping

I think it may be they are afraid of falling off the rings, perhaps put at solid board under entire ladder. Try to set a specific time to get them in by-and make sure it's during daylight time. This way they are all situated before it's sleeping time. Mine are finally on perches to sleep (took 5 wks till not being huddled and onto perches) at 7-720 each night. So I planned on 530-6ish to get them in by.

 

[Shezadandy]

Agreed- either use some plywood so the bottom of the ladder is solid-- or you can use 2x4's and fill in the spaces under the ladder rungs that way, probably cheaper but I don't know what's laying around your house.

Chickens are odd about the weirdest things! Without something solid it may be difficult for them to bridge the gap... Also if it was solid the whole way, you would be able to push them up without lifting- like bumper rails at a bowling alley for kids- they need to move their own two feet up that ramp, which you can't do with it being empty space.

Scratch or mealworms on the ramp, then entrance, then roost is a good way to encourage the right behavior, and as noted above, at the same time every day.

Without a timed door (my best friend, the automatic door), you've got to be the consistent schedule maker.

Make "bedtime" the ONLY time they get treats while you're trying to train them. Once they're doing what you want when you want for a couple weeks, you can resume.

 

[mamatink7]

Agreed- either use some plywood so the bottom of the ladder is solid-- or you can use 2x4's and fill in the spaces under the ladder rungs that way, probably cheaper but I don't know what's laying around your house.

Chickens are odd about the weirdest things!  Without something solid it may be difficult for them to bridge the gap...  Also if it was solid the whole way, you would be able to push them up without lifting- like bumper rails at a bowling alley for ids- they need to move their own two feet up that ramp, which you can't do with it being empty space.

Scratch or mealworms on the ramp, then entrance, then roost is a good way to encourage the right behavior, and as noted above, at the same time every day.

Without a timed door (my best friend, the automatic door), you've got to be the consistent schedule maker.

Make "bedtime" the ONLY time they get treats while you're trying to train them.  Once they're doing what you want when you want for a couple weeks, you can resume.

and I will add to you, when you give treats in run area, stop hrs before so they will want special treats when it's time to come into. I will give some scratch when we open the door then perhaps little scraps but nothing after noon or 1.

 

[eggmandoo]

I sought advice for the same problem. My chicks would not enter the coop at night. The advice was to lock them in for 2 days. I did this and it worked a treat. No problems since I tried this.

 

[mamatink7]

I sought advice for the same problem. My chicks would not enter the coop at night. The advice was to lock them in for 2 days. I did this and it worked a treat. No problems since I tried this.

oops forgot to say, you have to keep them in the coop for at least 2 full days. This will help with the pecking order and to establish sleeping eating and drinking patterns. It made our girls more comfortable going in and out by themselves. The younger ones have issues of course but definitely learning.

 

[MI55TR355]

Thank you all so much.!!
Finally success with getting them in the coop at night.
Then I find out over these last couple of weeks that not four but five of my six chicks are roosters.....
and I can't even have roosters, oh my gosh!......

like they say, if it's not one thing it's another

 

[Shezadandy]

Thank you all so much.!!
Finally success with getting them in the coop at night.
Then I find out over these last couple of weeks that not four but five of my six chicks are roosters.....
and I can't even have roosters, oh my gosh!......

like they say, if it's not one thing it's another

YAY on getting them in!

But OMG, 5 out of 6?!?!? geeezzzzzzzzzzzzzz How old are they now?

Ugh. We just rehomed two of our roosters via craigslist in the 'free rooster' section. Because they both had been good flock citizens (just too many for our flock, though they were orderly having grown up together), I did ask each person that responded to the ad whether they wanted to add them to a flock or if they were to be used as food. I realize anyone can lie about their intentions, but I found the folks that were probably interested in adding them to their table never responded to the question.