Silkie rooster won't go in the coop

[MaisyMoo]

Hi,

I have a 10 week old silkie rooster and he doesn't seem to have figured out how to use the ramp to go into the coop. Every time it rains or if it's going to be cold at night, I've gone out to catch him and put him in the coop. The chicks use the ramp just fine. Any suggestions on this? Thanks!

 

[sourland]

In my flocks the silkies have never been class valedictorian. Keep helping him in until he gets the message.

 

[azygous]

The intelligence of chickens varies, and that means some take longer to learn stuff and need more help.

You can help your slow Silkie roo to want to go into the coop by incentivizing him. Use his favorite treat at roosting time to lure him inside. After a couple nights of associating food with going into the coop, you'll see he will be eager to go in on his own.

Reward him a couple more nights of going in on his own, and the habit of anticipating a good thing to happen when he goes into the coop at night will be set as habit.

 

[Jensownzoo]

Yeah, my Silkie cockerel is very nice, but even with a wide open human door and treats/food inside he tries to go in through the hinge-side every single time.

 

[MaisyMoo]

Could you recommend a treat? So far he has no interest in any fruit or veggie I've tried. Thanks!

 

[azygous]

Could you recommend a treat? So far he has no interest in any fruit or veggie I've tried. Thanks!

Meal worms. Live ones. Never fails.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

I sprinkled cracked corn up the ramp for mine. They followed it right inside like a trail of breadcrumbs.

 

[MaisyMoo]

Thank you, I will try that!

 

[MaisyMoo]

I bought meal worms today and the poor Little Roo pecked at them but could not aim right and kept missing. He didn't pick up a single one! Maybe his eyesight is bad? His head feathers don't obscure his vision so I'm not sure what else it could be. He goes down the ramp just fine but won't go up and it's too cool out still to let him sleep out at night. Help!

 

[azygous]

Your little roo appears to have a vision problem all right. One eye may be blind or nearly so, and that affects their aim. It would also account for his reluctance to go into the coop.

Maybe some modifications to the ramp would help give him more confidence. Can you make it wider and the cleats closer together? And then you would need to help him learn that it's easier and safer by enticing him with larger treats that he can more easily see and pick up. Big treats that thrill my chickens include fried egg, tortillas, cherry tomatoes, raisins in a dollop of peanut butter, and dried cat food.