How to train chickens to go into hut at night?

[eggsrcool]

I got 2 new golden sebright hens, much light the one below, apart from gold

Does anyone know how to train them to go inside at night? They like to fly onto the compost heap, which means I end up trying to catch them making it quite stressful for them. Thanks!

 

[cluck-addict]

bring out treats when you visit them. Pretty soon they will come RUNNING everytime you walk up. Toss a treat or two in their hut and they will race in, shut the door.

Super easy - Over time...

 

[wasatusay]

I don't think I have ever had that problem, except when I moved them into their new coop. Then it was a matter of taking them out of the one pen I left up where the old coop was. They would go there instead of the coop and I had carried most of them for about a week until they caught on and now they go to the new coop and I took down the old pen.
If they are going to the compost heap, maybe some wire fencing round and over it except where they can get in. That would make it easier to catch them and move them to the coop. Or if possible put up a temporary pen for them to come in and out of from the coop until they figure out that the coop is their home and then take the temporary pen down.
They will figure it out sooner or later, just keep after them.
That pic makes me want a few Sebrights bantams. Beautiful! Just when I thought I had got wanting more chickens out of my head...I come back on the forum and get the bug again!
Good luck!!

 

[backup9843]

I HAVE 4 GOLDEN SEA BRIGHTS AND 1 WHITE ONE. I HAVE THEM IN A HENHOUSE I KEPT THEM IN THERE FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE I STARTED TO LET THEM OUT . THEY ALL COME BACK INTO THE ROOST AT NIGHT. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THEM.

 

[lalaland]

sounds like you haven't had them very long - usually you need to keep them locked in the coop for a week or two so they think of it as home - then they will go in at night on their own.

If it is too small to keep them locked in, then I agree with the suggestion of throwing treats in and locking them up, while in the meantime you are working on a larger coop!

good luck!

 

[perrym1962]

I usually go out right after dark and put them in the coop that way it is easy to catch them. I may have to do this a few nights in a row, but after a while they start going in on their own every night.

 

[wombat]

I just put some scratch in a plastic cup and shake it around as I walk out to the coop. They all come running. I toss in some scratch and that's that.

 

[akpeeps]

We had to shoo them into the pen at night for the first couple of weeks. They eventually started putting themselves to bed when it started getting dark.

Now, it's just routine. All we do is go out before we go to bed and shut the gate to the pen. They're all in the coop by then.
Even my Silkie rooster will go into his kennel when the hens go to bed. They won't let him in the coop.

 

[cmom]

I agree with some of the other posts. I get them used to me by making a particular sound they relate to as treats. I put some scratch grain in the coop every evening and they go in for their treats and I shut the pop door. I slowly cut back on the treats until finally they're going into the coop on their own and no more treats. The best way to a chicken's heart is through its stomach.

 

[eggsforsale]

I have 8 hens. 6 will always come when I call because they know I will have grain for them. I just toss it in the coop and they all run in after it. The other 2....

One has vision and mental problems, since birth. The other is either very stupid (will NOT go in the coop), or very smart (knows the door swings shut and she can't run free anymore.) Tonight I finally got the defective bird in at dusk with some hassle but then spent 45 min. more chasing the other one around in the dark. I was about ready to send her to freezer camp. I just don't know what to do about it. Free ranging may come to an end for everyone.