MY CHICKENS WILL NOT GO INSIDE THE COOP AT NIGHT!

[Leisa1968]

Ok so yet ANOTHER SITUATION! My chickens which are all 3 1/2 months old (including the cross beaked one I recently sought advice for) will not go into their coop at night. They have a rather large coop (a nice sized Leonard building) that also has a large run attached to it but they insist on piling up on the porch of the coop at night. I went out their 3 or 4 nights in a row with a flash light and forced them to go in then locked them in. After a few times I got tired of it and gave up. Will they freeze to death when it gets cold? What should I do????? I have another coop and run and all of those girls do the right thing....... head up the ladder and go to bed at night when it gets dark. Why are these chicks being so rebellious?

 

[fried green eggs]

Yes their comb can get frostbite. When they come out of the coop in the morning - do they use the ramp/ladder or do they fly/jump off from the top of it? I ask only because I had one group of young hens doing what you are describing. I made their ramp less steep and longer and then they started going in on their own at night. You could also try putting a night light inside the coop to draw them in.

 

[Leisa1968]

They have a ramp/ladder but they also jump/fly off the coop porch. I will try a night light for sure. Thank you

 

[Leisa1968]

The other thing is..... where they are sleeping is RIGHT OUT SIDE THE DOOR of their coop. I mean on the same level...... inches away from the door.......??????

 

[epeloquin]

There could be any number of reasons that they are not going in. It is important to remember that they have the instinct to roost, so if you help them, their instinct will take over. I would suggest that you continue to place them in the coop and on the roost when it is at least dusk of not dark. If they hop down just wait until it is darker. They have very poor eyesight and when it is dark they will not jump down. Their instinct will take over.

 

[louisegail]

I am having a similar problem. Mine are just 5 months old and recently started laying. I do have an infared lamp in the coop because it gets pretty cold here. They were going in the coop for the most part, but now wait for me. I have tried waiting them out, but they wait better!
When I go in the people door, they (most of them) come rushing in the chicken door, but if I don't block it off before I go out for the rest of them, they all come back out when I go into their yard. Would be humorous, except that we are working on an automated system to close them up at night because I live five miles away.

 

[tally keith]

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[Leisa1968]

Thanks for all the info..... I actually forced them in last night and left them in all day and tonight. It's been pouring the rain anyway. Last night they were all soaking wet! I'm gonna try a light tomorrow night and we'll see what happens

 

[tally keith]

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