Training to roost

[Kanga78070]

I just got two new hens but they don’t go into the coop to roost at night with the rest of my girls. They either get on a fence which I then take and put them in the coop or they are high up in a tree. Any suggestions on how to get them trained to go into the coop at night?

 

[nuthatched]

How long have they been in quarantine and how long have they been introduced to your flock? You'll have to put them in at night for awhile. Do they have enough space?

 

[Kanga78070]

They were quarantined for a week and they have been with the flock for 5 days now and yes I have room. I think they were free ranging before I got them but we lock them up at night because of predators

 

[aart]

The older birds are probably not letting them into the coop.
The new birds are not homed to the coop.
Where did the quarantining take place in relation to the coop?


Here's some tips about adding new birds......
Consider biological/medical quarantine:
BYC Medical Quarantine Article

Integration Basics:
It's all about territory and resources(space/food/water).
Existing birds will almost always attack new ones to defend their resources.
Understanding chicken behaviors is essential to integrating new birds into your flock.

Confine new birds within sight but physically segregated from older/existing birds for several weeks, so they can see and get used to each other but not physically interact.

In adjacent runs, spread scratch grains along the dividing mesh, best if mesh is just big enough for birds to stick their head thru, so they get used to eating together.

The more space, the better. Birds will peck to establish dominance, the pecked bird needs space to get away. As long as there's no copious blood drawn and/or new bird is not trapped/pinned down and beaten unmercilessly, let them work it out. Every time you interfere or remove new birds, they'll have to start the pecking order thing all over again.

Multiple feed/water stations. Dominance issues are most often carried out over sustenance, more stations lessens the frequency of that issue.

Places for the new birds to hide 'out of line of sight'(but not a dead end trap) and/or up and away from any bully birds. Roosts, pallets or boards leaned up against walls or up on concrete blocks, old chairs tables, branches, logs, stumps out in the run can really help. Lots of diversion and places to 'hide' instead of bare wide open run.

Good ideas for hiding places:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/

 

[Kanga78070]

The older of the 2 new ones picks on my other hens so she is dominant and they have a large run with multiple food and water sources. I may have to move my Turkins out of their coop and put the two new ones in there for a bit so they get their own space, roots and pen.