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

[Buffy Brahma Mama]

You aren’t allowed to keep them penned up for 3 days? That’s probably all you need. It took me a month to get my turkeys to accept roosting in the coop, so it will probably be soon now for your chickens as turkeys are more difficult with everything I feel! Try getting some worms or treats in a bag and shaking them in the coop right before sunset.

Thank you, I'll see what they say!

I'll also temporarily block off the area under the coop, once I build their lean-tos. Right now, there are just too many hawks in our area to not have an alternate source of cover close to the coop.

Wow, a month? Ugh lol : )

 

[Scotty314]

If you’re planning on eating eggs, you don’t need any roosters. The hens will lay regardless. Roosters are useless except to protect hens, but that many roosters will compete for and eventually kill your hens, I highly suggest that you visit your local library and check out a few books on raising chickens. Until you fix your mistakes and successfully and humanely keep your flock, you are neither a farmer nor pet owner. Don’t mean to be harsh, but you’ve made several avoidable mistakes. Please for the sake of your flock, educate yourself. You can do this. Good luck!

 

[Buffy Brahma Mama]

If you’re planning on eating eggs, you don’t need any roosters. The hens will lay regardless. Roosters are useless except to protect hens, but that many roosters will compete for and eventually kill your hens, I highly suggest that you visit your local library and check out a few books on raising chickens. Until you fix your mistakes and successfully and humanely keep your flock, you are neither a farmer nor pet owner. Don’t mean to be harsh, but you’ve made several avoidable mistakes. Please for the sake of your flock, educate yourself. You can do this. Good luck!

Thanks. I don't agree about the roos. There are many people who believe them to be useless, and it is unfortunate. I also don't appreciate your judgement and feel that part of your comment is disrespectful.

This post is not about roosters, or how and if to keep them. It's about regs that seemingly limit initial confinement, and how to successfully acclimate birds to a new coop without locking them in. Ensuring enough ventilation is one topic we are investigating and if it contributed (or not) to them not going in. For the sake of keeping this post and solutions on track, I am not going to entertain any more responses regarding people's opinions on roosters, the number, how to keep them etc.

I am confident there are separate threads on that if you wish to follow them! : )

 

[Bliss57]

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! : )

If you have other spots for them to go to to get away from your roosters, what about blocking the underside access with some chicken wire so that they have to go inside to roost?

 

[Bliss57]

That's a good idea to block it off. I only worry about hawks, as we have many that come by. They use the area under the coop and trailer to hide in, which helps a lot. Their lean to isn't built yet, but when it is, that will give them another place to hide.

They have a large free range area with a mobile fence. Soon they will be moved to an even larger area with many areas of cover, enrichment, etc. We can separate out the roos if over-breeding starts to happen.

The trailer is metal with a metal grate as the bottom, so they can grab it with their feet. I bet it feels like a roost to them, even though it's only a foot or so off the ground.

Sounds like you might be stuck with the air lift at least until the lean to is built

 

[Buffy Brahma Mama]

If you have other spots for them to go to to get away from your roosters, what about blocking the underside access with some chicken wire so that they have to go inside to roost?

Thanks! Its both hens and roos under the coop.

It's like they don't know it's their coop yet.

I plan to temporarily block it off toward night time, but when it's still light out. That way hopefully most of the hawks will be elsewhere. I can also sit out there for a few hrs to make sure there are no issues after it's blocked. My hope is that after a few days of that, plus the other adjustments of more lights, a fan, etc. they will learn the routine. I'll find out more about the temp confinement as well. Hoping they will allow it, so that they can get acclimated.

 

[Bliss57]

Thanks! Its both hens and roos under the coop.

It's like they don't know it's their coop yet.

I plan to temporarily block it off toward night time, but when it's still light out. That way hopefully most of the hawks will be elsewhere. I can also sit out there for a few hrs to make sure there are no issues after it's blocked. My hope is that after a few days of that, plus the other adjustments of more lights, a fan, etc. they will learn the routine. I'll find out more about the temp confinement as well. Hoping they will allow it, so that they can get acclimatedi

Sounds like it’s going to take time and effort on your part to convince them that the coop is the place to be! Good luck

 

[Corin1110]

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! : )

Do you have perches inside the trailer? I would lock them in for 3 days before letting them out again. Block the underside do they can’t get under when you do let them out. I’m sure there are restrictions to licking them in for your organic status, (but you did say they are pets so it shouldn’t matter), but this is a one time deal to train them to roost at night. Their concern is keeping them locked in permanently.

I agree you have way too many roosters unless you are going to butcher them. Keeping a light on at night to lure them in is a good idea.

 

[Buffy Brahma Mama]

Do you have perches inside the trailer? I would lock them in for 3 days before letting them out again. Block the underside do they can’t get under when you do let them out. I’m sure there are restrictions to licking them in for your organic status, (but you did say they are pets so it shouldn’t matter), but this is a one time deal to train them to roost at night. Their concern is keeping them locked in permanently.

I agree you have way too many roosters unless you are going to butcher them. Keeping a light on at night to lure them in is a good idea.

I think the difference with this trailer vs the last one, is the wire mesh bottom. I think they love it, as they can grip it easily and it gets full air flow. It feels safe to them as well, as it's off the ground. Even though there are no perches under the coop, the mesh seems to work for them lol. They have 1.5' of roost space each in the coop, if only they would go in.

Keeping them safe is more important than the status, but I am still hoping they will allow it so it can be a win win.

The roos are pets as well, but most may end up in a rooster flock.

So far, I've added another ramp inside the coop for the roosts, even though there are multiple levels for them. I've added another light - this time a solar spot light, which made it a good brightness in there. My fan never showed up today, so I'm still waiting on that, although the temp in there tonight seemed fine.

I think it probably is that they need to acclimate in there for a few days, as everyone suggests. I'll keep everyone posted!

 

[Borders3]

I've added another light - this time a solar spot light, which made it a good brightness in there.

Think maybe a string of the solar fairy lights would be better, as you are only aiming for enough light for them to see to be able to jump up to the perches not have a bright light, some people use this in winter to keep them laying, which is not for me.