Girls wont go to the coop at night

[chickndoglover]

I have 2 new ameracana pullets (about 6 months) they refuse to go into their coop at night and insist on perching in a bush I have in the front yard. It has now been over 3 weeks! Every night I crawl up the bush and take them to their coop. At first I thought they didnt like the coop because there are so many others in it, so I cleaned up the other coop and put nice new roosts and bedding in it.
They all free run during the day, I have 15 other chickens, 1 other is an ameracana and 2 of the others are roosters, the rest are all an assortment of layers. Anyway I have added them all over this past summer and it usually takes 2 or 3 nights before the new ones no where to go to bed. But this is 3 weeks and they show no sign of changing their minds. There are mink and racoon and owls here, so no way will I let them stay out. Any suggestions to help me change their little minds?

 

[lafemmeale]

ARG! My EEs do the same thing! They love that stupid Rhodadendron more than their cozy little home! I thought I had them figured out for a while, I put a little 1 watt solar light in the coop & they immediately started going to bed like good little girls. But this weekend they quit again & I'm back out there plucking them out of the tree! They have nice little roosts & plenty of room for everyone. I'd love to know another trick, if someone can recommend one...

 

[Renee']

I have the same problem. Everyone roosts on the chain link fence or pipe corral so I have to go out every night and put everyone to bed. I finally got smart and rather than making 8 trips (8 chickens) I put one on each shoulder and carry one more in my hands. Fortunately it's dark out so no one will see me out there looking like a goof ball with chickens perched on my shoulders like parrots! I think I am going to try to "clicker" train them and also set an alarm to remind me to go out there at the same time every night to coerce them into the coop with the clicker/treat training.

 

[trilyn]

I assume you all locked these birds up in their coop for a week right?!

lol I have an EE along with her RIR buddy that like to perch on top of the coop for their nighty nights. Well, the first couple of nights, I left their sorry butts up there and they had fun free ranging all the next day by themselves while their buddies were in their run giving them the stinkeye. Mommy had enough of that! When they were getting all settled in on top of the coop the following night, I grabbed the broom and proceeded to beat the tar out of the branches over their heads. Scared the living daylights out of them! Where to go, what to do-they went into their safe, snug coop-that's where they go every night now!! hehehehe *evil laugh* Sounds awful-but they were fine and it worked!!

 

[vstoltzfus]

I, too, was wondering if you locked them up for a week or so in the coop before letting them out (at all). If not, I'd try that.

 

[artsyrobin]

i got mine to come in with a plate of yogurt, might try treats. if you are freeranging, i've heard you keep them in the coop a week before letting them out, mine have a run attached to the coop, so that wasn't an issue.

 

[capon]

is it possible to train your birds to stay in your yard when let out??

 

[chickndoglover]

I know I am supposed to keep them in the coop for a week. but the way my pens are put together is that I have 2 coops inside a totally enclosed pen. In the morning I open the coops and leave open the pen door all day so they can come and go and lay eggs etc. So if I lock up the 2, then the other 15 will get upset about being locked out.
I will try the treats, but they dont usually come running like the rest do.

In regard to the question about them staying in the yard, all my birds dont have their wings clipped and none have gone over the fence and they all could easily, I think they have alot of things to do in my yard so they dont get bored.

 

[Renee']

Yep, I did the one week chicken jail with no results.

 

[Sooner]

I have a couple of hard headed one's that tend to roost in the tree above the pen. There is no way to get them down so they stay there. I have now had everyone on lock down for almost a week. It seems the one's that do this the most are the one's that are lowest ranking in the flock.

I do trick them by giving a treat in the evening to get everyone in the pen but the same one's will still roost in the pen and not the coop.