I'm having a problem getting the girls into the coop

[twinzmom]

I need some advice here...again. I work all day and my husband works nights so I have to put the girls into the coop by 7pm before I go to bring hubby his dinner. I have been rounding them up every night and putting them into the coop for almost 2 weeks but they still give me the run around..literally. I dont want to chase them and feel like I am terrorizing them every night but I dont want to wait until I get back home at 8:30 to find out they are all still outside and then I have to do it in the dark. I also don't want to leave them outside to themselves in case of attacks. Our run is quite secure but I am a worrier. Today I let them out all day and shut the pop door so they did not have access, tonite I will open the pop door and hope that they will just want in so much they will go right in. If this doesn't work what is another way to get them to go in by themselve? Our intentions are to put in an automatic door but we want to make sure they all have the idea of going in by themselves before we do that. We already have the motor and setup for that.
Any advice and suggestions would be appreciated. But not feeding my husband is not going to work, this is the only time we see each other during the day.

 

[devora]

If this doesn't work what is another way to get them to go in by themselves?

Yeah, let them put themselves to bed!

I don't put my girls to bed. They go to bed on their own every night; my job is to count them and lock the door.

I'm a worrier as well, so it's great that this aspect of keeping chickens is easy peasy.

 

[twinzmom]

well looks like locking them out of the coop today did the trick. I went out with their bowl of yogurt into the coop opened the pop door and within 2 minutes everyone was in without any craziness for either of us. I just hate cornering them in the run and making them run. They have 35' x 11' of enclosed run with a good sized camper cap for shelter out there so they have all they need during the day. I am hoping to only have to lock them out for a short time until they get the hang of it.

 

[Delta2 23]

It can be pretty hard to get the chickens into a night "routine" when they first move out to the coop. Perhaps you could put food and water inside the coop, and maybe even a light to draw them inside? Perhaps they are scared of the dark. Sometimes they are, and stay outside for the moonlight. (My chickens have done this before.)

it takes a while though, keep putting them inside the coop at night, make it regular. It's okay to chase them in.
However, if they don't like going into the coop, have you checked for mites or other things that could be deterring them?

 

[Delta2 23]

OK good, I'm glad you've found something that works.