New Cochins - stubborn or maybe a little slow?

[dreamofwinter]

I added two Cochins to my existing flock about a month ago. The existing flock is all about 18 weeks old, and the cochins are probably more like 8 or 9 weeks. I haven't had any real issues with pecking order - they are at the bottom, but are not picked on by the others other than an occasional nip to remind them of their place as smallest and newest. They go out and free range with the others and most of the time follow the flock... except when it's time to go in for the night. Everyone else knows the routine - I shake the treat bag and yell "Party Time!" and the chicken army comes running. These cochins, though, will meander over, maybe go in with the others, maybe not. About 3/4 of the time I have to grab them and put them in, which is not making them any easier to handle. And once in, they want to sleep in the nest boxes rather than the roost!
They do know where to sleep, as they will go in by themselves if I wait till it's dark enough - the trouble is that sometimes I do need to put everyone in early, for weather or visitor or predator reasons.

Argh! OK, thanks for letting me vent. So practically speaking, I'm blocking the nest boxes from sundown to sunup in hopes of breaking that habit, and hoping that no one else in the flock starts to lay while things are blocked. But is there anything I should/could be doing differently as far as encouraging them to follow the routine? I've never had non-hand-raised chickens before, have always raised from day-olds. I'm certain these were raised in a flock by adult hens and probably not handled much. They don't seem interested in treats. Should I keep waiting them out? Will maturity and habit win the day eventually?

And failing that does anyone want a couple of Cochins? LOL.

 

[Alaskan]

As far as treats.... maybe they haven't yet learned that what you toss out is yummy.

It can take a while for chickens to eat new things.

As for roosting, maybe you need another roost. If they are at the bottom of the pecking order they might need a roost at least a couple feet away from the hens.

Also, maybe the other hens don't let them in the coop, so the cochins have to wait for the hens to roost before they enter.

And.... as far as bullying.... you might need a second feeder and waterer if the hens are keeping the cochins from them.

 

[dreamofwinter]

As far as treats.... maybe they haven't yet learned that what you toss out is yummy.

It can take a while for chickens to eat new things.

As for roosting, maybe you need another roost. If they are at the bottom of the pecking order they might need a roost at least a couple feet away from the hens.

Also, maybe the other hens don't let them in the coop, so the cochins have to wait for the hens to roost before they enter.

And.... as far as bullying.... you might need a second feeder and waterer if the hens are keeping the cochins from them.

All good advice and thank you!
The other hens aren't bullying them away from food or water (and I do have multiple sources just in case), but I do see how the little ones might be intimidated about roosting near the bigs. I watched them all settling in last night and the big hens are letting them up to roost but there's definitely grumbling. Again, no outright attacks, my older hens are all pretty sweet, just grumbles and muttering.
I think probably they just need more time. I also recall that my older hens were kind of skittish for a while around the 8-10 week mark so perhaps there's also some developmental stuff at play.