I think I've lazed my flock.

[Davea50501]

I'm new to chickens and I believe I have lazed my chickens. When they were younger I would put them up in the coop. Now they huddle under it until I come out and put them back in for the night instead of going in at dusk. Anyway to fix this behavior? They get down in the AM just fine.

 

[JackE]

Sounds like they don't like the coop and prefer to be outside. How many birds? How big is the coop? Does the coop have plenty of ventilation? It is warming up (Finally) up here, It may be getting kinda hot in the coop, and they just want to be out.
Jack

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I can tell you what I did when I was tired of crawling under the coop to round up my latest pullets. I blocked off access to under the coop an hour or so before dusk (I used a folding dog exercise pen, but maybe a roll of chicken wire would work.) and put a small light on a timer in the coop set to go on a while before dusk. I also put some feed in the coop before bedtime. It didn't take long for them to put themselves to bed. I did not have to keep blocking underneath the coop for long.

 

[bucky52]

Last night i went down to remove the feeders at the edge of dark.my girls were all outside in their enclose run.i unlocked the coop and called them in.they wait every night for me.i know its not a good thing.come winter i do not get home until dark.

 

[Davea50501]

They seem to like it in there....They all get comfortable and go straight to sleep. They may be having a problem getting up the ladder. They move to the big coop this weekend so I will see what happens. When I open the door under the coop they line up and I take them out like a pez dispenser so I'm pretty sure I've taught this behavior.

 

[DianeS]

Lock them in the coop for a few days and they'll then consider it home. It can take anywhere from 3-7 dyas, though, so if after three days they still want to sleep outside, lock them in again for a whole week. They'll get it.

 

[Davea50501]

I've tried a light in the coop but still no success.