They won't go in the coop!

[Eland1957]

Samjo, I'm having the same problems with my hens not sleeping in their coop. Are your hens finally sleeping in their coop with the changes you made?

 

[Samjo]

Samjo, I'm having the same problems with my hens not sleeping in their coop. Are your hens finally sleeping in their coop with the changes you made?

Yes they are. I think ventilation was a factor, but the main thing was the light I put inside the coop. It’s on a timer to come on before dusk and go off around 9:30. One night I thought they would be used to the coop by now so I unplugged the light. They slept outside on the roost in the run that night. I plugged the light back up and they’ve been in the coop every night since then. I still put them water in the coop as well as the run, but I took the food out of the coop.

 

[DavidReaves]

I was able to train my 7-week-old pullets to go into the coop by adding light, too. The first night I had to catch about half of them and put them into the coop. I dreaded doing that for weeks! I'd already seen this thread, so I decided I needed light, as well.

My coop has a white polycarbonate roof, so it is translucent. I bought a 5 watt ($5) solar path light at the big box hardware and removed everything but the top section which has the solar "panel", the battery, and the LED. I just sat it on the roof of the coop, outside, on top. When it starts to get dark, the LED shines dimly through the roof. It adds just a tiny bit of light, but enough that when it gets past civil twilight, there's more light inside than out.

The first night, everyone went in easily except one pullet. She peeped as she went back and forth, in and out, for 2 or 3 minutes. Eventually, she stayed in. After that, everyone is in about 10 minutes before the door closes (just before full dark). I have it on a photo sensor that I set to wait long enough to give everyone plenty of time to get in the coop. Since I added the light on night two, I've had no more issues with getting them into their roost. They've been successfully closed up now for every night the past two weeks.

 

[Eland1957]

Yes they are. I think ventilation was a factor, but the main thing was the light I put inside the coop. It’s on a timer to come on before dusk and go off around 9:30. One night I thought they would be used to the coop by now so I unplugged the light. They slept outside on the roost in the run that night. I plugged the light back up and they’ve been in the coop every night since then. I still put them water in the coop as well as the run, but I took the food out of the coop.

Thank you. I have enough ventilation but I will add the light and maybe remove the roost from the run or mount it by the opening of the coop. I'll let you know how it turns out.