I need some advice here...worried.

[cmom]

I started a ritual with my birds of giving them some treats in the coop at night. I give them scratch grains and seeds. I gave them some bread one of their favorite but they would grab the pieces of bread and run out of the coop, so I switched to the scratch. Worked wonderfully. Now they come in every night for their treats.

 

[TennesseeTruly]

I'd like to thank everyone for their advice. The chickens put themselves back into the coop after the 2nd night out. I think they got hungry and decided to go back inside for food.

Thats why I had told my husband not to feed them outside the coop because I was hoping they would get hungry and go back inside looking for their food, and they did.

Thanks again! I love this site and the wonderful cooperation from everyone!!

Laurie

 

[GoldenSilverLaced]

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......

Mine go right into their coop, never any problems...so either we both have weird chickens or our are just exceptionally well-behaved!

 

[CityChook]

Do you give them treats? Whenever something yummy comes out to the coop, give them a "call." Mine is: "LLLaaaddddddiiiiiiiies!" Chickens are really food motivated and will figure it out pretty quickly. "The Call" means good treats. I can't even walk towards my coop without them running at me from every end of the yard. And I always feed treats inside the coop, even if the door is wide open. They have a special platter so that it doesn't get lost in the shavings. I'd leave them inside the coop/run and feed treats with a call for a while longer before letting them out to free range again.

 

[jenni2142]

Mine always put themselves to be but I have a run under my coop that is surrounded on all 6 sides and during construction of the larger covered run I would put them in there if I had to leave the house, it also makes it easier to separate one who is misbehaving or needs maintenance (nails, saddle, check up). I can just call out the chicken's name and give the coop call and in they go, I can also tell the roo -Jack take the girls in, coop, coop, coop, and he will herd them in for me.

They are smarter than I thought they would be.