How to get chickens in the coop at night

[christine764]

Thanks! I like that idea!

 

[Northie]

Took 2 of us to get the chickens in here last night. One person collecting them outside an stuffing them in the coop and one in the coop keeping them from pushing their way back out... Silly chickens!

 

[christine764]

Well... I'm still chasing chickens, however, I did notice that the darker it gets the less excited they get. Last night it still wasn't totally dark, but closer to it and they allowed me to grab them and pick them up to put them in the coop (except 1 who went in after hearing the others in there). It's a process I guess! Unfortunately the chicken scratch didn't work for me... they didn't care so much!

 

[Northie]

It's freezing at night here and the silly chickens would still rather sleep outside. I tricked them tonight though, I fed them inside and locked the door after they all came in. They sound ticked about being put to bed early but, Ha! too bad I win!!!

 

[Akrnaf2]

you must lock the chicken in the Koop at least for 2 weeks befor let them free range only then they will return spontaneously to the Koop at night.

 

[christine764]

I am SO excited! But I had to tell my husband he was right. Ha! Last night I went out to the orchard where the chickens roam a little late (it was nearly dark) and guess what? They were all in their coop! They really will go in by themselves!!!

 

[sbhkma]

I trained my girls to come to a whistle-the sports type whistles. I'd give them treats and then whistle. After a few times of that I'd whistle THEN give them treats. It wasn't long before I could blow that whistle and they'd come hauling their little chicken butts as fast as they could chicken-run. Now if I need to get them in the coop early or want to catch them to check their health, all I have to do is go outside and blow that whistle while standing in the run.

 

[chickensrule45]

I see the problem....
What I would do if I were you, is I'd get some of their favourite food and use it to lure the chickens into the coop.
It worked when I tried it with my girls.
Good Luck!

 

[Northie]

Sometimes they can be rediculously stubborn about where they want to sleep. Ours would rather sleep in the snow than the coup filled with warm bedding. It doesn't make sense to me... Silly chickens!

 

[plfreitag]

I turn on a light around dusk and this encourages my birds to head homewards. If they lag, I just get out the mealworm bag and shake it....that's generally all it takes. I've never had trouble with them going into the coop but it does take some time for them to settle in at night so I turn on a red heat lamp in the winter to give them that extra few minutes to figure out who is sleeping next to whom and which side of the coop they want to use that night (we have a HUGE coop). We have a run and a covered area we call the lounge but it is all closed in with wire so if they're not inside when I'm ready to relax a bit I just go out later and close them in. Hubby has the coop rigged like a palace with 3 doors that slide up and down via a pulley and string system but it's people-powered and not electric. I like to physically check on my birds a couple times a day to make sure everyone is there and in good health. They only get out in the yard to run free for about an hour before dark. I do it then because they will just amble on over to the door and go in on their own when it gets dark enough that they can see the inside light clearly. The sounds of the early-to-bed hens attracts the others. The roo is the last one in the door. He has to make sure the girls are all inside before he makes his way in to go to bed. I think he also does this so he can see who is where and decide on a sleeping place for the night.





BTW these aren't my current birds....these are old pics from two different flocks. I've had birds for 9 years now so I forget to update pics on the coop. Still, the size of the coop and the basic layout is still the same. Right now I only have 13 birds.....11 EEs, 2 Australorps, and 1 EE roo.