tucking in the chickens at night

[Laurajean]

I never close the pop door unless it's extremely cold. But having said that, my enclosed run is SUPER SECURE, totally pest proof. It would take a bear to get in. So I just leave it and let them go in and out on their own, especially since I'm not an early riser. But like I said, I'm in NH, so when it gets bitterly cold or windy, then I do close it.

 

[anitalogan]

So...yesterday (their first day out) I got them back into the coop before dusk by luring them with table scraps. They seem to associate me with FOOD, imagine that. I plan to do the same tonight, but hope that they will start getting the idea on their own. I am intrigued by the LIGHT idea but don't know exactly how I would safely put a light in their small coop (like a tractor type). I don't want to set the coop on fire. I know, I am such a worrier.

 

[anitalogan]

Oh, just had a thought...should I wait until dark to get them in?

 

[Egg Rookie 2010]

Interestingly enough if a few of them ARE in at dark when I go out to lock up they come running out when they hear me. They are trying to hang out with me I guess. They have a fallen tree to roost on in the daytime but they arent doing that at dark. They are cruising the chicken yard pecking at stuff, eating grass....just as if it were daylight. When they hear the house door open they all scramble to the gate where I enter the yard. Maybe they are too well treat trained or something. I supose I could try going into the coop first with snacks then go around to close the pop door.

 

[anitalogan]

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Now see, this is one thing I am worried about. I have spoiled these hens with treats!

 

[Laurajean]

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Well, if you wait until after dark, they'll be in there, and usually you can get to the pop door to close it before they start coming out. If I'm out there at night when it's open, doing things and making noise, they will wake up and wander out, but it usually takes a few minutes because they're groggy. So if you go straight to the run, and close the pop door, you should be able to close them in easily before they come running out.

Also, don't ever give them treats after dark. It's not that they're Gremlins, lol, but they'll get used to associating it, so they'll be more apt to wander back out if they hear you come outside after dark. A lot of times I suspect mine don't wander out much because they know they won't be getting treats until the next day. By then I would have already given them treats before sundown.