Go to bed earlier girls

[KellyandKatie]

My hens do not want to go into their coop till 8:30-9:00 at night, then they go in on their own, but I want them to go in earlier- how can I convince them to get to bed sooner?
I have just been catching them by hand and putting them in the last few nights ( I only have three hens)

 

[d.k]

*IDK!! My hen is a getting to be a regular little night owl (like her mommy!) The slightest little noise and she hops off her roost and pitter-patters around sipping water and asking for food and wanting to go out!!!

 

[jackiedon]

With the days being longer they will go in later. In a few months it will be earlier. Maybe you could feed them a treat to get them to go in earlier.

jackie

 

[basicliving]

Do you let them out early in the AM? I'm not sure it really makes a difference, but I let mine out around 6:30AM, and they put themselves to bed between 7:00 and 7:45 each night. Maybe I'm just lucky. I have to get up early in the AM, so I don't know what I'd do if they were night owls!

Penny

 

[WoodlandWoman]

Find a treat they really like and you can use it as a bribe, to have them follow you.

 

[flakey chick]

Turn on the sprinklers?

 

[LoneCowboy]

I hear you on this. We go to bed early and I'm always waiting on the girls to get their little bums into the coop. They are only hanging out in the run. Throw some yummy treat into the coop and they'll run for it.

 

[Chirpy]

Mine go inside the coop for the night at sundown, which is about 9:00 p.m. right now. On those nights that I need them to go in earlier I just throw a treat inside and call for them ... they all come running and in and I can shut the door.

 

[CarriBrown]

I have some that get up early and go to bed early, and others that come out late and stay out late.

 

[digitS']

I live near the 49th parallel. For you east coast folks, I'm farther north than Maine.
This evening, sundown will be at 8:51 PM. I've found that Australorps are not inclined to go to bed before pitch dark . . . . I think it may have to do with those black eyes . . .

Steve