tucking in the chickens at night

[ralleia]

Quote:
Eek! Yours don't go in when it starts to get dark??? What are they doing when it starts to get dark--is there a place outside the coop that they try to use as roosts???

Your chickens sound confused--let's see if there's a way to fix that.

 

[Roadstump]

When mine were a bit younger they wouldn't go back in either. They would just gather together and start peeping loudly as if they didn't know what to do.

I decided to try some chicken psychology on them. First theory I had was that the inside of the coop was actually darker than the outside so they didn't want to go in this dark place. I put a light bulb with a timer on it that turned on at dusk and stayed on for a couple of hours. That seemed to work pretty well and they definitely started going in at night, whether because of the light or just chicken instinct kicking in. The problem as I saw it was that they were in a brightly lit room when the timer ran out and since they don't have watches were caught in sudden darkness without having properly roosted to go to sleep.

One evening they all went prior to dusk so I went ahead and shut the pop door and locked them in. I turned off the timer so they would get used to a slow fade to darkness. When I checked on them later they were all properly roosted and sleeping nicely.

Net night I stayed out there at dusk with, no timer light, to see what they would do. No joy. They were all staying outside. Then it struck me that they were all staying out with ME. As long as I was out there with them, they would stay outside. I left and went inside the house until it got really dark and when I went back out, voila, they were in. Unattended now they will go once it starts getting dark. If I do happen to be out there and they aren't going in I simply walk away for 10 minutes or so and when I come back, they're inside.

I am not by any means a 'chicken whisperer' and don't claim to be an expert, just telling you what worked for me.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Your temps are about the same as ours. The problem here are the mosquitos and as we all know, mosquitos carry all kinds of diseases that chickens can get. I've always had a piece of flexible window screen covering their coop entrance to keep the skeeters out. I also screened the vents. My chickens easily walk through the screen down the ramp in the mornings. A couple hours after sunup when the skeeters are gone, I use a clothespin to hold up the screen so that the hens can go back inside to the nests and lay eggs. I put the screen down as soon as they head inside just before sundown. In the hot summertime in addition to the skeeters, the biting yellow flies come out adding to the problem, but my chickens like snacking on them lol.

 

[anitalogan]

Today is the first day that I've let my new chickens go outside of their run and into our fenced backyard. They seem to be enjoying themselves in the yard. I am concerned about what is going to happen in a few hours when it gets dark. Being a chicken chaser doesn't appeal to me. How do I lure them back into the coop? Any tried and true ways for this first-timer?

 

[dawg53]

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Table scraps or treats works great. Food is their weakness, they are walking stomachs and can be bribed to do anything with food.

 

[dirtgirl49]

When I first acquired my chickens ( 5 chinese silkies) they used to put themselves away at night, but not any more. Although we are in autumn here in Australia, it is still quite warm at night so they refuse to put themselves away and just huddle together until I go out, complete with camping torch attached to my head and they then follow me or rather the light beam to the Hotel for the night!! However if I try to put them away a minute before it is dark, they run straight back out of the house, no early nights for these gals!
I have today adopted 4 more bantams - polish and cochin, so I am wondering if they will decide to be 'Stop outs"' as well or perhaps teach my gals the correct procedure!

 

[Roadstump]

try the Motel 6 method. Leave a light on for them. inside the coop

 

[gryeyes]

Quote:
My auto doors are activated by a light sensor; they open after dawn and close at late dusk. The chickens are waiting to come out in the morning and are in and roosted long before the door closes.

I've only had ONE chicken stay out too late, one night. The next night, she got in before the door closed.

 

[dirtgirl49]

Quote:
Wish I could leave a light on for them, but coop is located long way from the house and no power over that side of the block of land! I did put a nice string of solar lights up along the fence - but husband accidentally cut through the wires when he was adjusting the fence to the coop! Perhaps a little camping light hung from inside the hen house might be the answer!

 

[elmo]

If you don't tuck them in at night, how will you be able to read them their bedtime story?

Just kidding...just barely. I do tuck our girls in at night and pet each one on their roost. And lock the pop door two ways. And I'm a little embarrassed to admit that sometimes I've gone back outside at night just to doublecheck that I've locked the coop door.