Some of my Girls won't go back inside the coop at night! HELP!

[laneberendt]

Hi there folks. I have 8 hens (mixed varieties), and I have moved them into their coop. When I moved them from the brooder to the coop, i kept them inside for two days, then opened the trap door to let them wander down the ramp into the run.

Some go back in and some don't....and it is never the same ones!

I always go outside about 30 minutes after dark and move them inside for the night....it is COLD at night here in the northwest.

Suggestions?

 

[azelgin]

It always seems to take me about a week, or more, of putting the new kids in their house at dark, before they figure it out for themselves. Some people have luck getting them inside on their own, by leaving a light on inside the coop. Never worked for me. I just pick them up and stick them the coop. Sooner or later, they figure out that's the place to be at bedtime.

 

[kinnip]

When I want my ladies to head to bed, I take up all the food and water in the run. I'll leave one feeder and one waterer in the coop. That's usually enough incentive to get them moving.

 

[sparkles2307]

Try having ducks that know better and then they suddenly stop coming home at night...grrrr stupid ducks. It will take you a few times before they know the routine, so just keep up the good work! We have to put on rubber boots and tromp around in a swamp to get our ducks in each night.

 

[Puma]

Ours have been outside since Easter. We still continue to go out at dark and put them away. I do not know how long it will take. We even put in two 8 month old hens. They go right in and sit on the roost, but the other all stay outside.

 

[4hooves&featheredfriends]

It has taken about a week to teach the girls to return to the coop. I started feeding a bit of scratch and then placed a bit on the ladder when it is time to return to the coop. I also leave the regular light on in the evening.

 

[NanaKat]

I agree with 4hooves about removing the feeders from the run.

I train my birds early on with a little scratch and "Here chick chick chick" and clucking sounds as I scatter the scratch on the ground each evening.

Then when they go out to the big coop, I can call them into the coop at night with the same routine.

This also works when they are out free-ranging and I want to put them up.