How do I get them to go to bed?!

[lrach73]

I have seven, 10-week old birds. Each night as the sun goes down, three of them perch on the door to the coop. They are easy to get put in the coop. The other four sometimes are in the coop, sometimes on the ramp, but usually come running back out when they hear me come out the front door.

I get them all placed in the coop (after no small amount of chicken wrestling), but how do I get them to willingly go in the coop at night? This has been the nightly routine for about 3 weeks.

Thanks!

 

[Hamiam]

I throw in a hand full of dried meal worms & say “time to go to bed”. I’ve got 32 four week olds. I think I had to chase down 4 tonight. This little guy being the main culprit. “He’s quick!”

 

[Jase The Butcher]

I have seven, 10-week old birds. Each night as the sun goes down, three of them perch on the door to the coop. They are easy to get put in the coop. The other four sometimes are in the coop, sometimes on the ramp, but usually come running back out when they hear me come out the front door.

I get them all placed in the coop (after no small amount of chicken wrestling), but how do I get them to willingly go in the coop at night? This has been the nightly routine for about 3 weeks.

I had the same problems as you did, but when they grew up they changed their habits and just naturally went to bed.

 

[Rooster G]

3 weeks? It must still be light outside when you are wanting to close them up.

 

[Jase The Butcher]

We'll when I had my chickens, they went to bed at around 8:30 every night, no matter light or dark. It's just a growing habit that they have to get used to. But not all might succeed in accomplishing this habit. There might be the rarer rooster who got kicked out by the hens.LOL

 

[MrsWayne]

I've had my first batch of chicks and ducks 9 weeks now. I have a similar problem. They will go to bed on there own, except one duck, but it is later than we tend to stay up. I take some chicken treat, hold some in my hand and pick them up if they don't go in willingly.

However, that one duck it will NOT go in on its own. We have to chase it down. We're hoping a wider plank to the door will help.

 

[Jase The Butcher]

However, that one duck it will NOT go in on its own. We have to chase it down. We're hoping a wider plank to the door will help.

I had ducks, and the very first birds to hit the sack were them. Some farmers say that after a while of training, ducks just natural get the role. Chickens, on the other hand, need a little more training.

 

[Izzychicky]

For my chickens first week in the coop I locked them in there after that they always would line up and march into the coop as soon as it gets dark​

 

[Harmony Fowl]

It’s an age thing. It will get better and they will put themselves to bed earlier as they mature, but juveniles love to stay out late. I just catch them and put them in (30 of them, some nights.) If the coop is too dark, they may not like entering, that’s one consideration. Also make sure the most attractive place to roost is in the coop, that there isn’t somewhere else higher outside. I also have door perchers and have to remove three or four every evening before I chase the kids inside. That does not change, lol.

 

[Jase The Butcher]

I placed my roost in the light so that even if dark the moon could shine on the roost.