How long does it take a Hen to get used to a coop?

[happybooker1]

I have a pullet that escaped over a month ago and took up roosting in a large bush at the side of my yard. I thought I'd gotten her reintegrated with her former flockmates after she'd been loose about 2 weeks but I've noticed she's back in the bush. About how long should a chicken be shut up in a coop to "accept" that that's home?? I have a waterer out there under the bush for her and we go out and throw her a cup of feed every other day but other than that she just stays on that side of the yard.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I would keep her locked up at least a week, and also stop feeding and watering her out by the bush. Let's ask @DobieLover - Dobie do you think one week is long enough?

Also, I have to wonder if the coop is big enough for all your hens. How big is it in square feet and how many hens live in it? Is this pullet possibly being bullied? These could be reasons she's not staying in the coop.

 

[DobieLover]

Dobie do you think one week is long enough?

Because she went back to her wild ways, I would leave her confined to the coop/run setup for 2 weeks.

wonder if the coop is big enough for all your hens.

Exactly.

Can you please post pictures of your setup? How many birds does it house?
I hope it's an open air design as I bet the heat in your area is oppressive. I wouldn't force her to stay in the coop/run setup unless or until it is extremely well ventilated. Having hardware cloth walls with just the upper half of one or two walls solid to block the wind during winter would be ideal.

 

[happybooker1]

My coop is one of those pre-fab ones that the run is all underneath n wire n the coop is above. Not counting her, there are 4 almost-3-month old pullets/roosters in that one. She was originally left out by mistake when nighttime came n we closed the coop up n didn’t do a headcount first. As far as I can see, she’s not being bullied or picked on. This was originally her home too.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

The general rule of thumb for large fowl chickens (LF) is 4 sq ft of coop per hen. This is actual floor space, not counting footage taken up by feeders, waterers or nests. If there is not that much space, it's not unusual for chickens to "vote with their feet," opting to sleep outside, on top of the coop or in trees rather than sleep crowded inside a too-small coop.