New member, how do I get my chicken to use the coop?

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Chickstina

Chickstina

Hatching
Oct 4, 2015
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My husband and I just built a chicken coop for the one hen that we have it is 2x4 in size and 2 feet above ground. How do I get her to go in there ?i put her in there and she flew out and went back in the tree where she has been sleeping. Any ideas?
Thanks
 
You'll probably have to put her in there and close her in for a few days if she's used to roosting outside. Does she have any flockmates? Chickens are social and don't usually do well without others. Is there a run attached to the coop? That size seems a little on the small size to me. If you had a run attached to the coop, she could go in and out and you wouldn't have to worry about her flying off to her tree, but she could still get sunshine, fresh air, and find bugs and things to munch on.
 
Chickens are flock animals and don't like to be alone. She will be much happier with chicken friends. Sleeping in trees is the best way to get eaten by owls or other predators. Birds do not like to move in the dark so they are sitting ducks. It's also a great time for you to catch her and put her on the roost in your coop at and close the door. If you leave her in the coop for a couple of days (with food and water), she should imprint on that as her home.

Do you intend to get more chickens or just have her?
 
We are going to get another hen soon, she is a free range chicken . So no there isn't a run attached to her coop.
 
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You're going to need a bigger coop if you plan on getting more chickens, chickens hate to feel crowded and will resort to all sorts of bad behavior if they are. Is it possible for you to enlarge the coop before you add any more birds?
 

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