How do you make them go home?

[cyrixlord]

Whenever the girls need to go inside their coop before dawn, I facilitate the use of a Dugan: (my german shepherd)

When they were little though, I only had to put them in their coop for 2 days before they got the hint to use it from then on.

Some people say to keep them in their coop for a few days then let them out so they know that the coop is their home.

 

[gritsar]

When my chickens were little and before they were in their permanent coop, we used the evil broom. It had to be the evil one. Not just any old broom would do.
A little older and they all would line up at the door waiting to be let in.
When we moved them to their permanent coop I just locked them in for almost two weeks. Now they all go to roost without any help from me or the evil broom.

 

[swampducks]

I don't feed them as much in the morning when I let them out to free range. Then I shake the can in the evening (full of scratch, their favorite) and they come running back into the run after me. Only have a couple idiots now and then who can't figure out how to go through the door without being herded.




(edited for typos and grammar)

 

[damselfish]

Lights, treats, herding. Depends on your chickens. We don't have an evil broom, but we do have two evil lawn chairs (folded up, of course). One in each hand, great herding devices.

Be patient, talk nice, don't yell, they'll learn.

Oh, and we actually said to them, consistently, every time, over and over...go to bed, go to bed.

They actually do head for the coop now when we say "go to bed".

 

[CityChook]

Better living through bribery.

All I have to do is walk towards their coop and they come running because I am the bringer of treats large and small.

I had an evil broom last summer. Boy am I glad that I don't have to do that anymore. Couldn't even count the vicious thorn scratches from one pullet who always wanted to hide under the burglar eating rose bushes...