Rooster will not climb up anything. Causing a problem

[YourChickHasAPastyButt]

Might want to lock him in the coop alone for a day or two.
Force him to acclimate to the coop as 'home'.
Sounds harsh but sometimes 'force' is needed for attitude/habit change.

Will do! Thanks.

 

[YourChickHasAPastyButt]

Ok... so he started going in and out of the coop on his own after many nights of me putting him in after it got pitch black outside. All it takes is you make one of these posters and put in the run. Did the trick.

Seriously though, I think it just clicked for him. I still have one BR that I have to put in who is uneasy on the ramp, but getting better. The rooster used to take a couple of steps off the ramp in the morning and fly to the ground, but now he just marches in the slow chicken parade into the run. He even waited this morning for the BR that was getting nervous in front of him to continue down and he is walking in and out during the day to get to the food in the coop. Very cool! We'll be keeping Roostie Cogburn!

 

[aart]

I still have one BR that I have to put in who is uneasy on the ramp, but getting better. He used to take a couple of steps off the ramp in the morning and fly to the ground, but now he just marches in the slow chicken parade into the run.

So you have two males?

 

[YourChickHasAPastyButt]

So you have two males?

No... he's the only cockerel. I meant Barred Rock when I typed BR (we have two pullets). Maybe BR means something else to everyone. I'm pretty new to the chicken lingo. Just went in a little while ago and the son of a gun gave me a nice kick on my right shin. Was surprised how much power he had in his kick. That'll be my next learning lesson with him in removing the spurs when they grow in.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

.....I still have one BR that I have to put in who is uneasy on the ramp, but getting better. He used to take a couple of steps off the ramp.....

I think it is this part that was confusing - couldn't tell who "he" was referring to.
Maybe this is what you meant?

'I still have one BR (hen) that I have to put in who is uneasy on the ramp, but getting better. He (the Rooster) used to take a couple of steps off the ramp in the morning and fly to the ground, but now he just marches in the slow chicken parade into the run. He even waited this morning for the BR that was getting nervous in front of him to continue down and he is walking in and out during the day to get to the food in the coop.'

No, you had it right, BR is accurate for Barred Rock, either rooster or hen. Or BPR, for Barred Plymouth Rock.

Either way, CONGRATULATIONS!!!! He may be one dumb bird, but I'm glad he figured it out.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

You could still try making a bit wider ramp, maybe just add a 2x4 along each side, and a "landing" at the top of the ramp so they can pause for a moment before entering the darkness of the coop and before starting down the ramp.

I know my birds never just "go in". They always stop at the top of the ramp (low, only about 14-inches off the ground, and about 12-inches wide) to peer inside a moment, then look back, then look in again, before entering. Then sometimes hop back out again for a moment. I don't know why. Maybe checking for safety, maybe looking for their BFF, maybe worried they left the water running in the sink. Whatever. Often, the chicken parade backs up for a moment, and a bird or two jumps off before they start moving again.

I wonder if your uneasy BR and your rooster both are just a little scared of that narrow ramp with the height, and no safe zone to pause and check out the interior before entering.

Just a thought.

 

[YourChickHasAPastyButt]

You could still try making a bit wider ramp, maybe just add a 2x4 along each side, and a "landing" at the top of the ramp so they can pause for a moment before entering the darkness of the coop and before starting down the ramp.

I know my birds never just "go in". They always stop at the top of the ramp (low, only about 14-inches off the ground, and about 12-inches wide) to peer inside a moment, then look back, then look in again, before entering. Then sometimes hop back out again for a moment. I don't know why. Maybe checking for safety, maybe looking for their BFF, maybe worried they left the water running in the sink. Whatever. Often, the chicken parade backs up for a moment, and a bird or two jumps off before they start moving again.

I wonder if your uneasy BR and your rooster both are just a little scared of that narrow ramp with the height, and no safe zone to pause and check out the interior before entering.

Just a thought.

The 2x4 down each side is a good idea. The BR hen is really my only hurdle at this point. The roo is jumping in and out without a problem. Tonight I watched something really cool. All the other birds took turns coming back out, including the rooster, circled the BR hen and jumped back up in. Almost like they were trying to teach her. She kept trying, but failing to fly straight up to the opening. It's really cool to see these things. I went out after the sun was below the horizon and picked her up. She could see enough in the failing light, and wanted to jump back off the ramp where I placed her so I held my hands a bit off of her from either side. All the birds in the coop went silent, so I do this little modulated whistle the rooster will always respond to (sounds something like a spring peeper frog and he without fail will always respond to it). As soon as he piped up after that, she walked up the last 3 steps into the coop. In the craziness of this world right now, this is something keeping me centered. While I am very much an omnivore, I love all creatures, take empathy on their situations, and seeing these birds trying to help each other tonight was heartwarming. These are things so many people removed from nature will never experience. I never thought I would have chickens and to be honest being around chicken farms in the past on my job (utility lineman) would give me a migraine headache (around Petersburg and Moorefield, WV), but something told me to do this, this year. I don't regret it at all.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I do this little modulated whistle the rooster will always respond to (sounds something like a spring peeper frog and he without fail will always respond to it).

That's cool! It reminds me of when I go out to lock the pop-door, I always peek inside and tell the birds "goodnight birdies, sleep tight!", and several of them will cluck and talk back to me all at once. Without fail. It has become a bedtime routine.

seeing these birds trying to help each other tonight was heartwarming. These are things so many people removed from nature will never experience.

Thank you for describing this experience. I also feel a little pity for those who can't connect with nature in some way every day. I know I feel grounded and soothed by feeding all the animals every morning, watching the wildlife, tending the garden, and walking in the woods. It's a spiritual feeling.

 

[Chick-n-lily]

Ok... so to answer some requests.. I have waited until it is pitch black outside to go and place him back in the coop. His entourage stays with him, so I have to place them back in the coop as well (although none of those 5 have any issue with roosting). I even added a shallower angled ramp with 2x2 treads and this is still continuing. He is right now at sunset staying under the coop and trying to call out the Ameraucanas and ISA brown from the coop instead of going in which would result in the RIR's and BR's following. If this doesn't stop, I'm gonna have to cull this rooster, and I really don't want to.

By the time I started to post this, he stayed underneath the coop and kept trying to call the others back out of the coop right up until sundown. Really hope someone has a solution to this, but coop design isn't changing at this point. What was the door is now a vent I need to put a hinged cover over for when it gets really cold out and I've added a longer, shallower ramp from the floor level of the coop on down. I'm telling you this bird will not even jump up on a brick. When the first bird leaves the coop in the morning, he's the next one to follow, but he never goes back in.

I really hope someone has a solution here. I've grown quite fond of him, but I can't have this... We have far too many predators here (coyotes, fishers, bobcats, and black bear) for him to keep them outside and sitting at ground level drawing them in.

Nice coop! I had an issue with NONE of my chicks going in coop in evening. I’d find them all huddled in a corner of the screen room. Then I thought about it. I started going up at dinner time and putting the light on in the coop before it actually got dark out. I think the light actually drew them in when it got darker outside. Chickens from what I read can’t see in the dark I did that for a week then on night I just didn’t do it and went up just after dusk and viola!! They were all inside roosting ha! So now I don’t have to put the big light on BUT I do put a little night light on in front of roost when I go to tuck them in, so in morning if they get up before me, they can see to get down to eat etc. we have a big ladder style roost. They hop down one rung at a time and some will fly down.

 

[YourChickHasAPastyButt]

Nice coop! I had an issue with NONE of my chicks going in coop in evening. I’d find them all huddled in a corner of the screen room. Then I thought about it. I started going up at dinner time and putting the light on in the coop before it actually got dark out. I think the light actually drew them in when it got darker outside. Chickens from what I read can’t see in the dark I did that for a week then on night I just didn’t do it and went up just after dusk and viola!! They were all inside roosting ha! So now I don’t have to put the big light on BUT I do put a little night light on in front of roost when I go to tuck them in, so in morning if they get up before me, they can see to get down to eat etc. we have a big ladder style roost. They hop down one rung at a time and some will fly down.

Thank you! I did try the light hoping that would do the trick, but from what I've seen so far with some of our flock they were just uneasy about climbing the ramp. I still have one barred rock, that while she isn't climbing back up, she also stopped jumping off the side coming down in the morning. She is walking down the full length now, so I think it's a matter of time before she's in and out with the rest of them all day. I just go outside after it's almost pitch black and she'll be sitting there on the 4x4 frame under the door to the coop. She wants in the coop and keeps trying to fly up in and failing at dusk, even with me stacking some blocks to reduce the distance. It's true they are all but worthless in the dark. I can walk right up and scoop her up before she can tell I'm there. I always figured they would be able to see a little better than that considering I can still see her enough to pick her and put her in. Hopefully it will click for her soon and then I may consider automating the door.