Up the ramp?

[Iwannachicken]

We FINALLY got the tractor built and in the backyard. My DH built a beautiful ramp for the girls to use and they won't go up it.

I tried sprinkling feed on the treads but we eventually just caught them all and put them up there. While it was kind of fun, I don't want to do this every night.

How do I get them to go up there on their own?

Karen

 

[Brody]

my girls needed a boost the first dy they saw the ramp - tonight they were in bed before I even got out there so they must have figured it out!!

 

[artsyrobin]

i have had that problem too- tried coaxing them with yogurt- nope - so day three, hubby added another length to the ramp and all but one trooped right in- maybe try that?

 

[Iwannachicken]

After all the blood, sweat and tears, not to mention money, we've spent building this tractor/ark, I don't think even using a cattle prod would work to get him to add anything to it.

 

[Judy]

Bribe them with their favorite treat. Takes some repeated efforts to train a chicken, like any animal, but actually they're pretty quick about it. You just need something more interesting than regular feed. Chopped tomato would do it for mine.

 

[wombat]

Wait until it is getting late and they start huddling in a corner for the night. Put them inside "by hand" and put some scratch down inside. They'll likely go in on their own after a couple nights of this.

 

[Ravenseye]

Try putting a light inside the coop just before dark and see if they find their way inside by themselves.

 

[codybird]

I put mine up in the tractor by hand after they huddled for the night for 4 days.

They got it after that.

 

[Casey3043]

Mine have done the same thing. It takes them exactly THREE nights to learn to go in by themselves. Mine had a very long ramp because the door opening was so high in the wall. The first night I had to catch them and put them in. The second I waited until it was dark enough that I could catch them more easily. I had a light on in the coop. I placed them on the ramp near the top, and they went on in. The third night, I kind of herded them toward it as it got dark, and they went in on their own. No problems from then on--at dusk they are in there.

 

[Iwannachicken]

I put mine in by hand on their first night in the coop but we went out of town the day after that and I had to shove all but one of them down the next morning.

My daughter looked after them for me and she said that they all went up by themselves that second night. Hallelujah!

Thanks so much for all the answers and tips!

Karen