I'm a Flock Manager Failure :(

[herefordlovinglady]

I have 3 game hens and two roos (all pretty wild) They have always free ranged and did their own thing. They have been roosting in the garage and it was getting pretty messy. so last week (Tuesday) We caught them and placed them in my new coop (12 x10). I left them locked up in there until yesterday. Around 4:00 when I got home, I opened the pop door and let them out. I shut the garage door. They had such a good time taking dust baths and just hanging out near the coop. Well at 6:00 when it came time to go to roost they headed for the garage. I ran them back into the area where the coop was and left them. I watched to see which direction they would go. Well they ended up in the trees. Why didn't they go back into the coop?

This morning when I left for work I opened the front coop door hoping they would explore. I really want to get more hens (6 more), but I am afraid they will just all head for the trees.

What do I do???

 

[Lucindahart]

Can you catch them? If you can I would suggest that youcatch them and put them into the coop at night until they get used to it - if they were used to free ranging and nesting in the garage, its probably just that they don't realise that this is now home! The problem with them staying in the trees over night is that Cats, Foxes etc can get them.

it might take a few weeks of having to do it this way, but they will get the message.

I am in the middle of doing the same with some Sussex I was given last week - and i still have to round them up at night

Good Luck

 

[herefordlovinglady]

The only way I know to catch them is to get one of those big fishing nets and grab them up that way. They are pretty wild. i am trying to regularly get closer to them and get them used to me...but they sure don't like it much.

 

[1stepcloser]

Treats!! Lots and lots of treats!! I would approach them bearing gifts like cat food kibble (my chickens' version of chocolate). Not only will they start to approach you for because you are the Treat Lady, they will eventually stalk you and stand outside your back door...like mine are now. Sheesh. Coming ladies.....!!!!!!

 

[txchickie]

I have OEGB's that free range and sleep in the trees. Honestly I think you'd have to lock them up for a LONG time to re-train them (a month, more like 6+ weeks). I can catch ours with some treats, but they're still fairly wild.

We're lucky to have no predators, so sleeping in the trees is fairly safe for them here.

 

[CoopCrazy]

If you lock them in the coop for 3-5 days that should be enough time for them to figure out that that is where the food and water is..

 

[Lucindahart]

I agree - try to bribe them with treats.

Do you have dried mealworms over there? My girls think its the best thing going. and a few of those in my hands and even the grumpiest comes running.

 

[possumqueen]

Try feeding them ONLY in the late afternoon close to bedtime. Put the food in the coop and let them go in to eat, then shut the door until morning. Then feed them a little in the coop before you open the door, so maybe they'll linger in the coop for a little while before they go out.

Good luck. Chickens that have gotten used to their own ways are hard to change. It doesn't make you a "flock manager failure."

 

[Kittymomma]

I had to lock my LF in their new coop for 2 1/2 weeks before they would go to bed there instead of their old place. I let them out after a week the first time and it just wasn't long enough. I'd open the garage back up tonight, they'll probably go to roost in there and should be easier to catch then if they're in the trees. Lock them in the new coop/run for a few weeks and see how it goes.

 

[quiltnchik]

Open the garage and let them go in. Once they're in there, catch them and put them in the coop. They'll get the hang of it in no time and will eventually go into the coop to roost every night. Chickens are incredible creatures of habit, so you need to help them get into the habit of using the coop.