Go inside at night for goodness sake!

[buddymc]

Yea.. the light seems to be working! Or ... atleast for some of them. Last night I went and out of the nine girls, 5 were already in the coop and up on the roost. I still had to manually put the other 4 but hopefully it's a step in the right direction!

Thank you for the suggestion about the light... that's why I LOVE BYC!

 

[Hencredibles]

The light trick works pretty well in most cases.

Once they realize that the coop is THEIR NEST. they will
start moving in on their own...usually about 5-20 minutes before dark.

Another thing to think about is that if you make all your coops the same....
you can move birds around to different coop and they still see the same thing
and have the same living quarters, hence....you don't have to retrain them
a new location.

This should smooth out pretty quickly on its own.

 

[64fyermun]

I'm glad I saw this, it's been a big help. I can't wait to try it tomorrow night with my girls. So just shining a flash-light up in the coop where they can see it will help lure them in at night?

 

[64fyermun]

It worked like a charm! Thanks for the help!

 

[buddymc]

Been doing the light for a few days and now out of nine, 8 of them go to bed every night. Like clock work they all start marching up the chicken ladder into the coop, then up to the roost. That is... except my Silkie.

Not to offend any Silkie lovers, because she's about a cute as can be.... but she is definetly NOT the brightest bird in the coop!

 

[teach1rusl]

Some silkies have problems using ramps. She'll get it eventually - it's good that she has "role models." My silkies are 10 weeks now. It took them a bit to learn to use the ladder. I think you're right though...they don't seem to be the sharpest tools in the shed

 

[buddymc]

Quote:
Good.. glad to know it's not just my Silkie that "is special"! I think you are right about ramps. She starts up it, then backs down, then starts up again. She's slowly getting the hang of it.... I hope!