Hard Headed Chickens

[chickens really]

Solar light in the coop...although it will need daylight to be charged..Used that for Ducklings when they moved out to the pen and were scared of the Dark..They put themselves to bed..

 

[igorsMistress]

I had Australorps that needed coaching. I went out just as the sun was about to set but not completely dark and put them in the place they needed to be. It took a few tries but they finally got it. Don't wait until it's totally dark and you might have to lock them in after. They'll learn to go in before It's dark.
Mine still don't use the roost but they huddle in the loft at roost level at least.

 

[aart]

A battery operated push light might do the trick to lure them in.

 

[imnukensc]

I did a combination of many of the suggestions that have been made. I kept them locked in the attached run for about a week or two. Every evening I would go out just at sundown, place them in the coop, close the pop door, and then open it the next morning. Otherwise, they would just try to roost in the run on the side rails. After about a week of that, I put a low voltage light on a photocell that came on for 1 hour at dusk. Shortly after putting the light in the coop, they started going in on their own and eventually began using the roost instead of huddling in a corner. I then took the light out and they've been using the coop and roost fine ever since.