Should I just admit defeat?

[CHlCKEN]

They never go into the hen house or at night, they are not going in to roost? Have pics of the hen house, showing setup.

You could just install a drawer light and change the batteries on a regular basis. But once they are accustomed to the coop again there will be no need for nightlights.
https://www.amazon.com/drawer-lights/s?k=drawer+lights

The much bigger issue is the overcrowding as omlet coops are known to be small for even the recommended regular amount of chickens to house.

So if there is no chance to get a bigger coop, it seems necessary to rehome some of your existing chickens. Otherwise some predator will take care of the overcrowding which will be much worse than rehoming some.

Other than raccoons there are also snakes, weasels, opossums etc. able to reach them. Even rats like a good chicken snack.

The Coop I have is not actually Omlet, it’s a snap loc. The RUN I have is an omlet, One of the largest sizes. The snap loc coop is the largest snap loc, however we had bought it for our flock of 3. I could figure out another option, and there are tons of different things I could do. Just takes some convincing. I do worry about rats and weasels, snakes etc, but the bottom bars are extremely close together, to close for any of those creatures, however it does still worry me despite the fact. The skirt blocks any diggers, but the raccoons aren’t afraid to climb. I’m just going to take down the branch, and get that drawer light. Work on looking for a nicer coop.

 

[LaFleche]

I do worry about rats and weasels, snakes etc, but the bottom bars are extremely close together, to close for any of those creatures, however it does still worry me despite the fact. The skirt blocks any diggers, but the raccoons aren’t afraid to climb.

Any of the above creatures climb as well with no effort and can squeeze right through tiny holes.

 

[CHlCKEN]

It's not fair to wild animals to wag free food in front of them, and then complain and kill them when they try to eat it (re: "just kill it" type of comments). Remember, we are on their land, not the other way around. Making your coop and run predator-proof is the best way. If the run can't be predator-proofed, then the chickens need to sleep in a predator-proof coop, but from the description it sounds like your run is fine, too. You can cut a piece of hardware cloth and affix it to the run fencing immediately around the branch end where they like to sleep, and make it only as big as you need to, to make sure a raccoon hand can't reach the chickens. That way you protect the vulnerable area at the branch's end, but without using up too much hardware cloth.

The whole point of this thread was that I couldn’t get the chicks to go IN the predator proof coop however Your idea would put my six feet of hardware cloth to good use! When they are on the ground, the bars are to close together for a hand to stick through, but the hight that they roost is not close enough together (I can’t put the branch lower bc the bar width won’t allow it)

 

[K0k0shka]

The whole point of this thread was that I couldn’t get the chicks to go IN the predator proof coop

You could try training them to go in. Sometime before it gets dark, go inside the coop, call them in and give them some kind of favorite treat of theirs. While they're eating, close them in. Since it's not dark yet, they'll be able to see and position themselves for sleep (they may complain at first, but they'll get over it). Later, after they've roosted and gone to sleep, you can sneak back out and open their pop door so they can get out in the morning. It's a bunch of upfront commitment on your part, but after a while, when they learn the drill, you can start weaning them from the treats, and ideally, one day the going inside part will have become such a habit that they'll just do it on their own for sleep, not just for treats anymore. And the upfront work with the payoff of solving the problem long-term is better than moving them indefinitely the way you have been doing, which is not working....

 

[aart]

go inside the coop,

Coop is too small for the 7 birds, let alone a human

certainly not a good size for my 7 girls although my parents do not want to buy anything more so it’s what we have to work with.

Then time to sell a few birds.
How old are these birds, in weeks or months?

 

[CHlCKEN]

I agree, the cieling is quite low for the high roosts, and even for the low ones- (if you look up “snap loc coop small” which is the smallest version-not the one I have- you will be shocked to see how tiny the ceiling hight is!) The 2 barred rocks sleep on the back roost on opposite ends, the SS sleeps on the center roost which is the same hight, in the middle of it, and the babies all sleep on the lowest roost spread out. Not at ALL big enough for when they grow!

I will add that when you look up “walk in chicken coop” all you find are those tiny 6 foot long runs attached to micro sized coops

 

[K0k0shka]

That would be perfect if you can afford it! Roomy and beautiful. I don't see any vents, but you can cut some out if necessary.

 

[aart]

I do hope you understand that I am not in charge of this matter when it comes to coop upsizing and chicken selling, I only can suggest these things and see my opinion come as far as it can.

So minor living with parents scenario?
Was it wholly the parents idea and decision to get chickens,
both the original birds and the 4 new ones?
It's very difficult for us to give you solid advice in such a situation.

 

[CHlCKEN]

The Dollar Tree has little solar lights. They even have ones that use 2 aa batteries for Halloween. Both will be $1.00 each.
I think you better start your Chicken "Wish list" for the holidays. Lol
Try your best to keep everyone safe. Get a trap and trap those raccoons as as possible. You do get ice cold freezing rain in TN.
Congratulations on your new Flock

Thanks sounds like a plan! My chickens will certainly enjoy their new lights, until a plan is set in stone for a larger coop upgrade. My chicken wish list grows every time I look at the the TSC and Amazon BYC giveaway! Ugh I get so many ideas! It’s been a wet week thanks to all that hurricane weather and as it hasn’t lightened up (though it filled our pond finally- I’m happy even if it is dirt brown) the ground is a muddy mess. The girls have a rain cover and watch the outside world from under their plastic shield (obviously not gonna help with angled rain falls) and big natural rain cover of a tree. Rain is cold but not very cold, ive Kept chickens for a while now but yet I have never had a frostbite issue so let’s hope the babies will help keep our streak and GO IN THE COOP before the cold rain, snow (rain in a more pleasant form, it just doesn’t stick) and the natural temperatures

 

[maghrane]

For the past month and a half I have been moving my chicks from their favorite branch roost into the hen house, every night without missing a night. The refuse to go in the hen house by themselves, should I just admitwise they do it themselves - the treats make it easy ! defeat? What can I do to get them in the hen house?

I put sunflowers seeds in he hen house when i need to get the girls locked up early other