How long have they been in the coop where you want them to sleep? Once they think of it as home, they should return there at night, but if you have recently moved them, they can easily get confused. I've had some in a tractor for about 4 weeks and they sometimes want to roost in their old coop which now belongs to the 10 week olds. Usually they return to the tractor but not last night.
You are further north than me so your nightfall may be getting fairly late. Right now, mine return to the coop about 8:30. It is almost but just not quite dark then. I suspect you may not be waiting late enough for them to return on their own. The nervewracking thing is that it is dark very soon after they should return. If they don't make it back, panic city.
I find they are fairly consistent. The first time or two I let them out, a few cannot find the gate to the run. They wind up outside the run trying to find their way in but they have no clue. I have to walk them around the run fencing until they get to the gate. After a time or two, they do learn where the gate is. I had one SS that would walk right by the opening into the tractor even as I herded her past it. I finally had to herd her into my run where I could catch her. Are yours getting trapped behind fences or such that they can't find their way around?
I only let mine out in the evening when I am working outside in the garden until dark, not so much worrying about predators (although I do not trust the neighbor's dogs) but because they like to play in the road which is about 400 feet from the coop. I have never had a problem with them not trying to get back home at dusk.
You know I am not going to tell you that you are not going to have predator problems. My parents never locked their chickens up at night and let them roam at will during the day. They had pasture fields around them and were right next to a wooded area of many acres, several miles outside a small country town. We would often go several years in between a predator attack, even with the coop open at night. Then a fox or dog would find the flock and would have to be dealt with. The dog attack would be in the daytime and the fox right at dawn. We never had a problem with raccoons, possums, or skunks as far as the chickens went, although you would see them run over in the road, so you know they were all around. We had plenty of hawks and owls too. You may have a predator attack the next time you let them out or it may be several years. I sure can't predict it.
I don't know if this helps you any. As hard as it may be, it may be time for a bowl of vanilla ice cream, maybe with fresh strawberries, and see what happens if you leave them on their own a bit.
You are further north than me so your nightfall may be getting fairly late. Right now, mine return to the coop about 8:30. It is almost but just not quite dark then. I suspect you may not be waiting late enough for them to return on their own. The nervewracking thing is that it is dark very soon after they should return. If they don't make it back, panic city.
I find they are fairly consistent. The first time or two I let them out, a few cannot find the gate to the run. They wind up outside the run trying to find their way in but they have no clue. I have to walk them around the run fencing until they get to the gate. After a time or two, they do learn where the gate is. I had one SS that would walk right by the opening into the tractor even as I herded her past it. I finally had to herd her into my run where I could catch her. Are yours getting trapped behind fences or such that they can't find their way around?
I only let mine out in the evening when I am working outside in the garden until dark, not so much worrying about predators (although I do not trust the neighbor's dogs) but because they like to play in the road which is about 400 feet from the coop. I have never had a problem with them not trying to get back home at dusk.
You know I am not going to tell you that you are not going to have predator problems. My parents never locked their chickens up at night and let them roam at will during the day. They had pasture fields around them and were right next to a wooded area of many acres, several miles outside a small country town. We would often go several years in between a predator attack, even with the coop open at night. Then a fox or dog would find the flock and would have to be dealt with. The dog attack would be in the daytime and the fox right at dawn. We never had a problem with raccoons, possums, or skunks as far as the chickens went, although you would see them run over in the road, so you know they were all around. We had plenty of hawks and owls too. You may have a predator attack the next time you let them out or it may be several years. I sure can't predict it.
I don't know if this helps you any. As hard as it may be, it may be time for a bowl of vanilla ice cream, maybe with fresh strawberries, and see what happens if you leave them on their own a bit.
