Background on my coop: I have a simple barn like structure with three stalls, all in a row. The tack/feed room is across from the middle stall, cement between the two for grooming/saddling. The middle stall has been converted into their coop. Where the stall door used to be is a full sized chicken(hopefully) predator proof door, which we humans use to access the stall. However, in order to keep the goat/horse/pig out of their coop when I let them out to free-range, we built a little door about waist-high, with a ramp parallel to it. (so it doesn't stick out and be in the way of grooming/saddling.) Their roost is perpendicular to the door, so that if they climb up to the highest roost, they can walk out. I've also added a ramp on the inside as well to make it even easier for them to get out.
So we let them out via the big door for several days, as the little door had not been built yet. They are all totally on the ball in terms of knowing to come in at dusk and they all hop up onto their roost (the highest tier) and line up at night.
But I am trying to train them to JUST use the little door, since I can't leave the big one open due to the other animals. So far 5 of my EEs will do it all on their own and I think one Polish. But the other 6 Polish, 3 Cochin, 1 EE, 1 Cuckoo Marin, and 1 Phoenix will not. They just stand by the big door and look pitiful. Or will run around the pen watching the others on the outside.
The 5 smart ones will also go back in via the ramp at night also.
How do I educate the rest? They see their buddies leave, why are they so dim?
So we let them out via the big door for several days, as the little door had not been built yet. They are all totally on the ball in terms of knowing to come in at dusk and they all hop up onto their roost (the highest tier) and line up at night.
But I am trying to train them to JUST use the little door, since I can't leave the big one open due to the other animals. So far 5 of my EEs will do it all on their own and I think one Polish. But the other 6 Polish, 3 Cochin, 1 EE, 1 Cuckoo Marin, and 1 Phoenix will not. They just stand by the big door and look pitiful. Or will run around the pen watching the others on the outside.

The 5 smart ones will also go back in via the ramp at night also.
How do I educate the rest? They see their buddies leave, why are they so dim?
