Luring hens into coop with food

[cristina]

Is this sinister? I have only had them a week and I used to (for 2 days) pick them up and put them in their coop when it was time to go in, but now I am bringing treats to get them in. Will they hate me for this?

I realize that you usually don't have to make them go in at night, but I have to put them in their coop a lot of times before nightfall. They have a big space as their playground, but I don't like to keep them out when I am out of the house, so I put them in when I go out.

If I ever do decide to leave them out all the time, whether I am home or not, I can just leave their coop door open so they can go in themselves at night, but I fear that if i get home too late at night to lock the door, a predator will let themselves in. This is the other reason I put them in when I go out. Sometimes I come home late, sometimes the next day.

 

[Judy]

Lots of people train them to go in the coop at dusk with treats. It's not sinister, it's training! If you do it consistently, every day at dusk, they should get the idea after a week or two and go on their own.

 

[cristina]

But the times of day I put them back into their coop is inconsistent. I want them out in their run only when I am around to keep an eye on them.

 

[Christie Rhae]

I have this same problem, inconsistent times that they have to go back into lock down. I just cannot leave them out when I am not home. My chickens are so used to me bringing treats that all I have to do is walk out my back door and they all come running. I usually toss in a pizza crust or bread crust scrap and everybody rushes into the coop. lol

 

[mstrawn3]

I give scratch grains as a treat. When it's time to lock them up I fill a plastic cup half way, stand in the run and shake it so they can hear it rattle. They come running just like cattle!

 

[jomoncon]

Quote:
I do the same thing! I'd better not stand in the coop doorway when I shake the cup of scratch, or I'd get knocked down. I started with the "shake scratch in cup" when they were about 3 weeks old. There simply was no other way of getting them back into the coop.

Like cristina & Christie Rhae, the free range time can be inconsistent, anytime during the day when I have time to watch them. But they always come back to the coop when I shake the scratch.

 

[cristina]

Dumb questions for a new egg, but what is scratch? Can I make it or do it buy it?

 

[dfclimber]

essentially chicken treats that is thrown on the ground for them to scratch around to eat. seeds, cracked corn etc

 

[chicmom]

Chickens live for treats! They love love love to eat, and so it's really a pleasant thing for them if you lure them in with treats!