Mods, if this is in the wrong place, please put it in the right one. Thank you. I moved my chickens outside 2 weeks ago into their coop. Everything that I've read said to leave them in for some amount of time and then let them out. They'll understand that the coop is home. Well I've done all that. I left them in the coop, just shy of two weeks. We've been having some really crappy weather, (rain, thunderstorms), but when we got a slight break in the weather, I decided to let them out. Someone suggested that I let them out a few hours before nightfall, I did that. They won't go back in the coop!!!!! Last night we had a hellacious thunderstorm but they stayed outside the coop all night long. Hubby and I tried to wrangle them in but needless to say when we got so drenched that we could barely stand up in the muck, we finally came in the house. I can't guarantee the run is predator proof and I'm worried sick over them. I didn't sleep all darn night long, just listening to the night sounds and the pouring down rain. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Laurie
How big is your door you are trying to get them to go in? Is it possibly on the small side so that can't see what is on the other side, and it makes them afraid of it?
The lights been on in there since the day I put them in there. They just seem like silly teenagers who have now gotten their freedom and are exploiting it! LOL My husband wanted to throw food in the run for them this morning and I told him if he did, he'd be sleeping there with them. They need to go back into the coop to eat!! I'm befuddled. I suppose I can round them up but I definitely can't do it every single night. My husband has a heart condition and I just can't see him chasing chickens every night with me. LOL The door is approximately 16x12. Laurie
I used a plastic leaf rake to teach mine to go into the coop, pointy ends away from chicks, walk slowly so they don't panic. It worked well as it gave me a longer reach and covered a good size area. As I herded them I call coop, coop, coop and now they are trained that this call means go in no matter the time and the rake is not needed.
Yea, I tried that with a very large net last night. All I got was running around chickens and very very wet. LOL I'm just so befuddled! We due for more thunderstorms tonight. I think I'm going to grab my grandson and we're going gathering chickens. My biggest concern is predators. We have coyote, fox, mink, raccoons, and who knows what else where I am. Oh well...guess I should go catch some chickens. Laurie
Whenever we move teens from the nurserycoop to the hen house I do the same ...use a wide leaf rake or even a long stick, what ever is handy..herd them into the hen house. I usually only takes 2 nights of doing this, you may end up with a few stubborn stragglers that you have to do it with a few extra nights but they do learn fast. We were given a guinea roo for our guinea girls 3 weeks ago..the roo is 7 yrs old and has lived outdoors(roosting in trees) all of his life. The first two nights he flew up into our big cedar or oak tree, third and fourth night I went out with a loooooooooong board and coaxed him out of the tree and herded him into the hen house, now he goes straight to the hen house every evening. Feather babies are smart, they just sometimes need us to have a bit of extra patience while they catch on Michelle
It might help if you wait until it's about dark to try to wrangle them up. My girls will run from me and cause a fuss if it's "too early" to go to bed. They've been outside for about 2 weeks now, yesterday I had to remind them that's where they were to go and I saw the lightbulb turn on in there little heads, they all walked up the ramp and went inside. Hopefully tonight they will put themselves to bed.
as with teeneager.. BRIBE THEM until my girls got used to putting themselves to bed i used to stand in the coop with scratch or table scraps, and call them in and once they were all in i shut the run door behind them. worked like a charm
I must have strange birds. I have never had a problem with getting them back in at dark. My roosters will roost on the top of the hen house to keep watch all night long while my hens go in the coop. I keep the door open at all times so the roos can come and go. I have no light on and they still go back in. I have never shut them up for a week in the coop...hmmm. Makes me think i may be doing something wrong......
