Predators and hens that now won’t sleep in their coop

[BeckyKohl]

So about a month ago, after I had let the chicken out of their coop and into their run, a fox came into my yard n did a couple loops around the outside of the run. Spooking my chickens but never entering the run at all. Ever since then, with the exception of 1 night, they refuse to sleep in their coop. I have had to physically had to put them in every night. The fox came back one more time a couple weeks after the first visit but left after only a couple minutes. We have cameras on our coop n the first time I chased the fox away.
How do I get them yo go back to sleeping in the coop on their own?
The picture attached is the coop with a small run attached but it actually sits inside of a 10x10 Chainlink dog kennel which is totally secured so nothing can get in bigger then a finch!!

 

[nuthatched]

How many chickens? They may have decided the coop is too small or hot

 

[BeckyKohl]

There are 4.

 

[nuthatched]

There are 4.

The coop is too small for four, but they're still young. It will be ok for a few months.
Have you checked for mites?

 

[Saveria]

Does the coop have any ventilation or windows?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

How hot has it been there? I agree, it doesn’t look like there is any ventilation from the picture. If there isn’t any/much ventilation and it has been warm there that coop is turning into a sauna when closed up.

 

[BeckyKohl]

Does the coop have any ventilation or windows?

Yes has a screen door on the side n a vent at the top.

 

[BeckyKohl]

How hot has it been there? I agree, it doesn’t look like there is any ventilation from the picture. If there isn’t any/much ventilation and it has been warm there that coop is turning into a sauna when closed up.

It’s actually been cool here, southeastern Pennsylvania.
But they just started this behavior since the fox spooked them. They will be a year old in June/July.

 

[Saveria]

Folks have done the "lock in" tactic, where they have them stay in the coop for about a week to reset them to knowing that is their place. Maybe it is a little small for that, though.

You can also just go out each night and tuck them all in there when they are sleepy. Or you can bolster the run security and then just let them sleep where ever they want to. Those are a couple ideas that I have done or heard of people doing.

 

[BeckyKohl]

Folks have done the "lock in" tactic, where they have them stay in the coop for about a week to reset them to knowing that is their place. Maybe it is a little small for that, though.

You can also just go out each night and tuck them all in there when they are sleepy. Or you can bolster the run security and then just let them sleep where ever they want to. Those are a couple ideas that I have done or heard of people doing.

I’ve been doing the “tuck them in every night “ only because of it being so cool and wanting them to be warm. I have reinforced all of my wire apron, that I have around the run and feel comfortable leaving them out of the coop, with access to go in if they want too. The only reason I want them to go in is because I go away just about every weekend and my kids go out to shut the door for the coop, but don’t feel comfortable putting them in the coop themselves. I did read somewhere that if they don’t have a place to roost in the run, they might start going back in again. I agree it may be too small for them to locked in all day n night for a week. So I’m not comfortable with that scenario. So next weekend I will be home and will be removing all roosting areas to see if they will go back in on their own.
Tho it does seem there isn’t much room inside the coop. I have two roosting spots that are in the peak of the coop and two sit up there at night and two are on the bottom, they do get comfortable in there. Thank you for your advice and responses. I’ll definitely keep everyone posted!