Help needed. New chickens not going into new coop at night. Airlifting 36 chickens is exhausting!

[BeckyOB]

I think you may be on to something! I have plenty of ventilation in the coop (two gable vents, plus soffit vents around the roof edges), but it has been hot recently, and I do notice them open mouth breathing a bit. My coop is a salt box with a high roof, but it still gets a bit warm, almost like an attic would. I think I will try a window fan for them. I'll need to install some predator proof screen on the window where I'll put it first, as we have raccoons, fisher, mink and bears that may break in.

I have solar lights I place in the windows for them, but I can add more to make it brighter for them.

In organic agriculture the regs are that you have to allow access to the outside daily, unless there is bad weather. : )

I would almost bet there's two things going on...
1. They are trying to stay cool, so it's prob cooler under the coop than inside. So, place a fan inside the coop, make sure ventilation is good. Even close yourself in for a while and see if you're dying for air (I did this).
2. I won't attack you for your choice of rooster to hen ratio, mine is off as well. However, I will say my girls went through a period once where they didn't go in the coop at night either. I noticed that they'd go in and the boys would start mating them, so they'd run out! This seemed to work itself out mostly with only minor intervention on my part as well as allowing them to stay out until nearly dark.
As far as ratios are concerned... Many chicken keepers can keep multiple roosters and not have that"perfect 10 to 1 ratio" and still have a pretty peaceful flock IF THEY FREE RANGE... And have plenty of space to get away from each other etc. This has been my situation and it's gone pretty well with the roosters getting along mostly...
Good luck!!

 

[Buffy Brahma Mama]

Forget the chickens. I'll move in tomorrow ;-)

I know, after I finished it, I so wanted to move in and just buy the chickens a coop from somewhere else ; )

 

[Iowajones]

I got stuck on 16 roos... wow. Good luck.

 

[Buffy Brahma Mama]

I would almost bet there's two things going on...
1. They are trying to stay cool, so it's prob cooler under the coop than inside. So, place a fan inside the coop, make sure ventilation is good. Even close yourself in for a while and see if you're dying for air (I did this).
2. I won't attack you for your choice of rooster to hen ratio, mine is off as well. However, I will say my girls went through a period once where they didn't go in the coop at night either. I noticed that they'd go in and the boys would start mating them, so they'd run out! This seemed to work itself out mostly with only minor intervention on my part as well as allowing them to stay out until nearly dark.
As far as ratios are concerned... Many chicken keepers can keep multiple roosters and not have that"perfect 10 to 1 ratio" and still have a pretty peaceful flock IF THEY FREE RANGE... And have plenty of space to get away from each other etc. This has been my situation and it's gone pretty well with the roosters getting along mostly...
Good luck!!

Thank you! I did this tonight as it was another hot day and my fan hasn't arrived yet! It was ok, but seemed a little humid and definitely warmer than outside.

I am also thinking of putting in a greenhouse charcoal filter with fan. I can't help but think that breathing in pine shaving dust is not healthy for anyone - humans or birds. I wonder if anyone has done that before. I may try it.

I free range them as well and it helps a lot, but I have also found that certain breeds are the ones that can get over-mated. They tend to be the slower ones that don't free range well. If I had known that when picking out my chickens, it would have helped a lot.

 

[lifein1840]

Wondering if anyone out there might be able to assist.

I'm an organic farmer with a new beautiful flock of 36 pet chickens - an equal number of hens and roos.

I'm having an issue with the flock entering the coop at night - a beautiful coop with plenty of room, food, water and roost space.

The coop is built on a trailer and there is space below the coop, as well as space below the trailer that chickens can hide from predators during the day. I noticed they also use this space to hide from roos that want to mate, and roos who are a bit aggressive toward other roos.

We are going on 2 weeks now and I'm still needing to airlift them into the coop at night, as instead of going in the doors or up the ramps, they decide to roost underneath the coop on the trailer. It seems nice and dark and protected there, however, not from raccoons and other predators, when the sun goes down.

It's getting to be exhausting.

I heard that you should keep them confined in the coop for a while, so that they learn to go in at night, however, I am not allowed to keep them confined, unless there is extreme weather.

I've tried food and treats and they come out from the trailer for a bit, but then if I don't grab them, they go back under when it starts getting dark.

I've never had this issue before with a flock of hens. Could the roos be keeping them under?

The other thing I should mention, is that they got outside permanently to their new coop very late in the game - almost at the adult stage.

Advice needed on how to resolve this, to get some of my time back, and maintain my sanity! : )

Lock them in the coop for at least 5 days then let them out late afternoon on the 6th day. I always train my new flocks like that and it has always worked well....they just need to learn where their home is.

 

[JessiChicki]

Weneve

Wondering if anyone out there might be able to assist.

I'm an organic farmer with a new beautiful flock of 36 pet chickens - an equal number of hens and roos.

I'm having an issue with the flock entering the coop at night - a beautiful coop with plenty of room, food, water and roost space.

The coop is built on a trailer and there is space below the coop, as well as space below the trailer that chickens can hide from predators during the day. I noticed they also use this space to hide from roos that want to mate, and roos who are a bit aggressive toward other roos.

We are going on 2 weeks now and I'm still needing to airlift them into the coop at night, as instead of going in the doors or up the ramps, they decide to roost underneath the coop on the trailer. It seems nice and dark and protected there, however, not from raccoons and other predators, when the sun goes down.

It's getting to be exhausting.

I heard that you should keep them confined in the coop for a while, so that they learn to go in at night, however, I am not allowed to keep them confined, unless there is extreme weather.

I've tried food and treats and they come out from the trailer for a bit, but then if I don't grab them, they go back under when it starts getting dark.

I've never had this issue before with a flock of hens. Could the roos be keeping them under?

The other thing I should mention, is that they got outside permanently to their new coop very late in the game - almost at the adult stage.

Advice needed on how to resolve this, to get some of my time back, and maintain my sanity!

Hi,
Chickens do need that time of confinement to become "imprinted" on their roosting place. Usually it takes about five days and nights of confinement and then they will consistently return there of their own accord. It sounds to me as if your roosting place for them is appearing to be uninviting to them if your problem is going on for this long. Make sure that they can see clearly inside and it isn't too dark when they approach for bedtime. Other than that, as someone has already said, you can build a routine of going in for food at evening time and then shut them in.
I would say that your flock is stressed by the amount of roosters too. One rooster is virile enough for many hens and having so many could be counterproductive.
Hope this helps. Chickens are the best

 

[Kriscam]

I think you may be on to something! I have plenty of ventilation in the coop (two gable vents, plus soffit vents around the roof edges), but it has been hot recently, and I do notice them open mouth breathing a bit. My coop is a salt box with a high roof, but it still gets a bit warm, almost like an attic would. I think I will try a window fan for them. I'll need to install some predator proof screen on the window where I'll put it first, as we have raccoons, fisher, mink and bears that may break in.

I have solar lights I place in the windows for them, but I can add more to make it brighter for them.

In organic agriculture the regs are that you have to allow access to the outside daily, unless there is bad weather. : )

I just got a Hessaire swamp cooler that hooks up to a hose and it has been a game changer for our girls in this hot weather.

 

[Chellebean69]

Wondering if anyone out there might be able to assist.

I'm an organic farmer with a new beautiful flock of 36 pet chickens - an equal number of hens and roos.

I'm having an issue with the flock entering the coop at night - a beautiful coop with plenty of room, food, water and roost space.

The coop is built on a trailer and there is space below the coop, as well as space below the trailer that chickens can hide from predators during the day. I noticed they also use this space to hide from roos that want to mate, and roos who are a bit aggressive toward other roos.

We are going on 2 weeks now and I'm still needing to airlift them into the coop at night, as instead of going in the doors or up the ramps, they decide to roost underneath the coop on the trailer. It seems nice and dark and protected there, however, not from raccoons and other predators, when the sun goes down.

It's getting to be exhausting.

I heard that you should keep them confined in the coop for a while, so that they learn to go in at night, however, I am not allowed to keep them confined, unless there is extreme weather.

I've tried food and treats and they come out from the trailer for a bit, but then if I don't grab them, they go back under when it starts getting dark.

I've never had this issue before with a flock of hens. Could the roos be keeping them under?

The other thing I should mention, is that they got outside permanently to their new coop very late in the game - almost at the adult stage.

Advice needed on how to resolve this, to get some of my time back, and maintain my sanity! : )

Put a light in the coop.. They can't see in the dark so as the sun goes down they will gravitate to the light... After they all go in give them a few to calm down then close the door and turn the light off.

 

[jeanette bettis]

You need to get rid of all but two roosters. Your hens will be bred to death and your going to have constant rooster fighting for dominance. Really not healthy numbers. Of course they are your birds so do what you want but you will regret it later.
If this is your first birds in this coop you leave them penned up for a few days.
I also leave a light on in the coop until after dark. It helps draw them in.
Did I mention your rooster number is WAY out of whack (sorry I feel bad for your poor hens and more so as they age)

REALLY GOOD ADVICE

 

[3KillerBs]

I can't help but think that breathing in pine shaving dust is not healthy for anyone - humans or birds.

It's not healthy.

But with adequate ventilation you don't get excessive dust hanging in the air.