How can i get my girls to go into the coop at night?

[awesomefowl]

My girls are 8 weeks old, and every night we have to chase and catch them to shut them in coop. I want them to go in it themselves at night so we don't have to chase them. I tried shutting them in the coop for 2 or 3 days so they would learn but they don't seem to. they free-range our backyard during the day. does anybody know how to train them??

 

[flgardengirl]

Hang a little flashlight from the ceiling of the coop. They will go where the light is. The first few nights you might have to put them in there, but after that most of them will go in. Then they will all go in. I found this really cool flashlight with an l.e.d light that comes in colors at Home Depot. It has a regular flashlight and then a glow stick and a whistle thing on one end. I found out that it will turn itself off after a few hours. I've been using it in one coop for about 5 mos and never had to change the batteries yet. They come in blue, red, green.

 

[awesomefowl]

thanks, good idea.

 

[IDIOT HUSBAND]

I always put a little crack corn in their feeder when it is time for them to get in. The only time I have any problem is when I have to put them up early, like 7:00 or so. Then they are like my children, "I don't want to go to bed!" thus the chase is on. Good luck.

 

[mamichi]

They sound pretty young still, but you can train them with treats eventually. My girls are so used to seeing me come with goodies for them (fresh fruit and veggies, etc) that when they see me outside they come running to me. It's funny and cute. They will follow me right into their run. If I don't have a fresh goodie for them, then I throw them some scratch, which they love.

 

[Elphaba2140]

Hi. I had the same problem three weeks ago. The first night I had to put them all (26) in the coop. The second night I had to put about 1/2 in. Then for about 4 days there were 6 I had to put in. Then 3 for a couple of nights. Now they all go in at dark. Wow. It took a long time so it seems but I think the key is persistence. Keep working on them and they will eventually go it. I have read that others here said the same thing. No treats needed, but there is food and water in the coop.

 

[noodleroo]

You might try a boiled egg. Mine love it and its how I taught them to come when I called them. Mine are 5 weeks old now and put them selves up every night; I just have to go lock the door!

 

[myfester]

Instead of chasing them down, what you can try is to wait til it's just about dark (so you can see, but they have a hard time). You can collect them up a lot easier that way, since they won't try to run blind. Hopefully after a few days of doing that and you putting them in yourself, they'll get the hint. I've taught my new chicks (7 weeks old) to go in on their own. They were raised in the house for about 6 weeks, so they'd come to the front of the house and wait to be let in here, so I had to teach them where their new home was. After a couple days, they've gone in there every night without fail on their own. You can try the night light method in the coop as well til they go in and settle on their own while enough light is still in the sky.

Good luck,
Laura