I feel your frustration. I had this happen with my chickens last year. I put them out in the coop/run in July, and for MONTHS they refused to go into the coop at night. I posted about it repeatedly, getting various suggestions, all of which I tried and none worked. Shut them in for a week, put a light in the coop, put treats in the coop, you name it, NOTHING worked. I'm in NH, and it was getting colder. They would huddle in a little pile in the corner of the run at night, even in the rain! I had to wait until they were asleep so they would be groggy, then carry them in one by one. Eventually, I even tried leaving them there, hoping they would go on their own. Winter approached, and I was getting scared. I was sure they would freeze. I hung a tarp over that corner of the run to block the wind for the little idiots. Everyone told me they'd catch on, but months had passed; I was sure I had the dumbest chickens ever. Then came the first snow. I was freaking out. I blocked the run with tarps, put hot water bottles near the corner where they slept and went to bed hoping for the best. I woke the next morning to about 8 inches of snow. I went out to the run, slowly, afraid of what I would find. I lifted the tarp and looked.... nothing. No chickens in sight. What the heck? I looked under the coop, where there is a gap, but they weren't under there. I stood there puzzled, and then sure enough, one popped her head out the pop door, which I had just been leaving open. One by one they came out, apprehensive and curious what the white stuff was. I couldn't believe it! They slept from July to December in the corner of the run, in the rain, in the dark and in the wind. But my very first snowfall, they SOMEHOW finally figured out that going in the house would be a good idea! And they've been going in every single night since then! I no longer worry about it, but it seemed to take MUCH longer than anyone here said it would.
I wish I had some brilliant advice for you, but I don't. I tried all the suggestions posted here, nothing worked until that first snowfall. All I can suggest is patience, because I really thought mine would NEVER get it, but they finally did.
I waited alot longer before I went out to check on them tonight. It was totally dark and I had to take the lantern with me so I could see when I went out. They were all next to each other in a row on the floor in the back corner of the coop.
