Putting free range chickens up at night

[criderchick]

How do I get my free range chickens to go into the fenced in area at night? I've tried giving them feed or scratch in the area but they won't go in unless I pick them up and take them. Until now I've not had any trouble getting them to let me pick them up. However now my 14 week babies want to squirm and fight me all the way. Advice? I'm getting a few more this weekend and will have almost 10 to put up in a few weeks.

 

[Going Quackers]

so they are young? my adults put themselves in, they hop the 4ft fence and go in at dusk or in abouts.. but these are a couple year old hens not wee ones. My younger ones are a work in progress, they will learn but at first they don't understand and tend to want to look for night crawlers(they are behind the 4ft fence tho lol)

 

[criderchick]

So do you have to pick the little ones up each night?

 

[centrarchid]

So do you have to pick the little ones up each night?

Whoa back. Pen the birds in their coop for three days and nights. On fourth evening about 2 hours before dark open coop so they can come out but not range far. Very shortly thereafter they will want to return to roost and be close enough to recognize location they are imprinted on / accustomed to. The following day release them earlier. They should return to roost just fine unless it is too dark or hot.

 

[criderchick]

I will give it a try. The fence is only 4 ft so they may fly out. Should I just keep putting those that fly out back up at night.

 

[centrarchid]

Put a cover on it. Show a picture of your setup.

 

[criderchick]

I guess I could put some tarps over the top

 

[centrarchid]

You are almost as backwoods as I am but your grass is mowed.

Yes, as tarp would to nicely. Get those birds roosting up ASAP. You flock is a buffet the patrons have not found yet. Night time predators to be most concerned with are opossums and raccoons. I would try to get them to roost about 2 feet below ceiling near wall of house.

 

[Big Bubba]

Man, I hope you don't have any hungry critters running around. With that setup they aren't going to last very long. They need protection in the evening.

Back to topic; when I need to catch my girls and they're giving me a hard time I either get treats, like mealworms or cabbage, or I grab a broom. Reward or fear. Take your choice. The broom works wonders. The mealworms has them running. I shake it and it's a mad race to the coop.

 

[criderchick]

I lost two early on from something digging under the fence but haven't had any trouble since then. I couldn't afford to build an enclosed coop at the time. I'm hoping this summer I can update it a little.