Hens will not go into coop

[drewva]

Received new coop, put new chicks into run, night comes and they all sleep outside in the run! I cannot get them to climb ladder and go inside. any suggestions?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Lock them in the coop for a week or so. They do not know where home is yet and this will teach them. They are creatures of habit and are scared by new things. They do not automatically know what you want them to do. You have to guide them.

 

[SillyChicken]

try herding them in earlier while they're still active... once dusk falls mine will hunker down under the coop and they're a pain to get out after that!

 

[Mahonri]

Quote:
I don't know what size coop you have.

Some night time coops have cramped quarters.

If there is room to leave them locked in for a couple of days, do it. If not, you may need to put them in at night and set them on the roosts for a week or so.

 

[MotherJean]

There was a new BYC'er with the same concern recently. He discovered (by accident, I think) that turning a light on in the coop just before dusk attracted his flock like moths. He spent a difficult week catching and putting everyone in the coop each night. With the light, BINGO, he found them all inside when he went to do his "chicken rustler thing." If you decide to try this, I hope you'll post your results. It would be nice to know if this actually works every time or that was just a happy coincidence.

 

[racuda]

The ladder may be the issue. Put them in every night and they will come out in the morning on their own. Eventually they will figure out how to climb the ladder.