Putting Chickens to bed

[mrskrebs]

I hear all these great stories about Chicken's putting themselves to bed... My chickens? No. They fly on top of the coop (probably 3 1/2 feet off the ground) and roost up on the roof. I have to pick them up and put them inside. I know when the hop up there they are ready to go to bed. But geesh - why won't they go inside???

 

[mnferalkitty]

sometimes they need coaxing, when its time for mine to go in the coop, I go out there with an umbrella and open and close it begind the chickens they then run into the coop and I shut the door, this works great for me and usualy trains them to go in the coop. I only have to do it now for new chickens or the younger ones

 

[jeepguy982001]

idk. Maybe try keeping them locked up in the coop for a few days so they recognize it as "home." I've never really had that problem but i got a auto coop door and occasionally i have one slacker i have to let in.

 

[FarmGirl01]

Sometimes a light in the coop will help encourage them to go in. But if you chase them in a few times, they will get the idea.

 

[Ilovemyduckies]

Most of my chickens are like that too. I have only been putting them in the coop for about a month. Although, some of the chickens have started to go in the coop at night. I put them in half an hour to an hour before they usually get ready for bed, and coax them in with food. It is slowly working for me.

 

[donrae]

Their instinct is to get as high as possible to roost, not to be inside a building. It makes a lot more sense to their tiny chicken brains to be farther off the ground. You can block off access to the top of the coop, or if space allows confine them to the coop for a few days. But, they are creatures of habit and some of those habits are really hard to break. Is it a problem for them to roost on top of the coop?

 

[Dwkuska]

idk. Maybe try keeping them locked up in the coop for a few days so they recognize it as "home."

+1

 

[mrskrebs]

The coop sits on the ground now... I'm thinking I need to raise it in keeping with the highest roost possible theory. I wondered it that's what they were doing... in the background of this picture is the coop. And that's Lela checking out the camera hehe If I raise the coop I wonder if that will encourage them to just go inside?

 

[CAjerseychick]

The coop sits on the ground now... I'm thinking I need to raise it in keeping with the highest roost possible theory. I wondered it that's what they were doing... in the background of this picture is the coop. And that's Lela checking out the camera hehe If I raise the coop I wonder if that will encourage them to just go inside?

HHHMMM I cant get mine OFF the ground (they eldest are only 9weeks but really...) they sort of wait for me at dusk to put them into their coop (its 6 inches off the ground) and then they all pile up in corner to sleep! They do like jumping up on the perches as long as it is light but when darkness comes, down they go in a pile of straw!

 

[mrskrebs]

Awww so cute, my girls did the same thing - they'd curl up all together in one nesting box & cuddle. They've learned to roost after a few modifications inside, but the will only favor one nesting box to lay in. The other is wide open & no one visits it