Trouble getting the birds to go in at night!

[Avonshire]

So we installed an automatic Chicken Pullet door last week. The chickens are still not all going in before the door closes so we have to open it back up and make them go in. Any hints for what we can do to get them to go in? We have it set around 8:30. Thanks!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

A light inside the coop will draw them in when it gets dark. If you aren't wired for electric you can rig a battery powered something or other (even a flashlight).

 

[Avonshire]

So should I wait until it is completely dark before putting them up?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

My light and pop door opener are on timers so that about 30 minutes or one hour after dark they close and turn off. This works for me, but yes there is that time before the door closes that a predator could get them.

My chickens decide when they want to go to bed and it is always right before dark.

 

[chickencoop789]

Scratch is like candy to chickens. If they know what scratch is, when you have it they will come running. Right before 8:30, go outside with a container of scratch. Shake the container and they will come. Then put the container in the coop. When they are eating inside, the coop door will close and the chickens will be inside.

 

[Nicole01]

I'd wait until the sun goes down. My girls are staying up later now the sun sets at a later time. I close the door around 9-9:30pm for now.

 

[Avonshire]

Ok what is scratch???? I love spoiling my chickens and I would love for them to come to me all excited about my treat. Right now I only have one--my first singleton hatch that I had-- that comes running to me!! I will try a later close tonight. Thanks!!

 

[ButchGood]

Scratch is cracked corn you toss on the ground and the birds scratch at it and eat it. You can mix in other stuff like sunflower seed. I mix wild bird feed with my cracked corn. I call it busy food. Something for them to find when they are scratching and foraging. About half of my birds come running into the run when I toss some scratch and call them. My birds have taking to roosting in the tree by the coop. Every evening I have to round them up and take a head count in the run and coop. Its getting automatic for them. They see me coming and they start climbing out of the tree. Then I herd all the laggers into the run. The whole ordeal takes me about 10 minutes and I kind of enjoy herding them into the run and watching them take there place for the night.

 

[lilchick]

Nutrena makes a 40 lb. bagged version called Scratch Grains. My chickens and turkeys love it!

I used to mix it in with their regular feed in the hanging feeders but they were so intent on getting the scratch that they threw the regular feed out onto the floor. Wasting that expensive feed!

So now I give them the scratch grain out in their pens and let them work up the ground while enjoying their treat!

 

[Izzymoon]

I just lost my 14-1/2 yr old corgi (old age) and my chicks used to follow her like a mother hen. I just got a spree young whipper snapper of a corgi, and he saw the chickens and immediately knew what to do! I am sure the chickens didn't like it one bit, but they sure did know where to run where it was safe. He did a fantastic job of herding them without touching them once. Some nights prior to getting him, I'd be running around and around, (like a chicken with my head cut off?) he sure made things easier. I was impressed how strong the herding instinct was, and how he just seemed to know what to do..It wouldn't be every time just when they are being naughty birds..

Before the dog, I picked up a fishing net at a yard sale, and they hated that and would run for the coop. A good long stick seemed to work too. The whooshing noise seemed to make them go to the coop too.