What am I doing wrong? What do I need to change?

[coach723]

If the run is lit and the coop is not, they may be reluctant to leave the light and go into the dark coop. You may need to change the light to inside the coop instead, or put a brighter light inside the coop. Once it becomes habit and automatic for them, you may be able to slowly wean them off the light. Honestly, some groups figure it all out quickly and on their own, and some groups need a lot of assistance until they do.

 

[2 Acres]

Ah okay, so I need to put the hens into the coop, and then the babies in the run and then the coop? Hopefully the hens won’t go after the babies as they come into the coop… I also think I will have to push back how late I put everybody away which makes me nervous too.

Sounds like it's time for a rooster to manage the harem. It does work...

 

[2 Acres]

Sounds like it's time for a rooster to manage the harem. It does work...

Just make sure the rooster isn't aggressive.

 

[2 Acres]

Just make sure the rooster isn't aggressive.

As a bonus... You might end up with chicks.

 

[Raubkatze]

Sounds like it's time for a rooster to manage the harem. It does work...

I had a rooster (well, 9 weeks old) that I rehomed because he was already mounting the girls, which was causing all kinds of confusion and issues.

 

[coach723]

Roosters do not always solve all problems. Depends on the rooster, depends on the flock. And bringing a new one in now, that none of them know, is likely (more like guaranteed) to just cause more upheaval. It can take a flock a while to accept any new bird, and a rooster that is chasing them and driving them nuts is only going to upset them more. I would only add a rooster if you WANTED a rooster. And I would do it slowly.

 

[2 Acres]

I had a rooster (well, 9 weeks old) that I rehomed because he was already mounting the girls, which was causing all kinds of confusion and issues.

Sometimes isolation may be needed. I know I had to separate mine a few times. If no rooster, then sometimes an "Alpha" hen will replace a rooster.

 

[Raubkatze]

First I would try letting them all do it themselves and just keeping an eye on them. The big girls will not likely leave the coop to go after the little ones because the coop is the prize spot. You can alternatively gather the pullets up and put them somewhere besides the coop until the big ones settle down. A few nights of that and then you can try letting them do it themselves again. The key is to let the big girls get into the coop first. I don’t know why but roosting spots are deeply ingrained in chicken hierarchy.

Last night I left everyone to their own devices. The pullets and one hen put themselves to bed in the coop. I still had to call four of the hens to the run and they did their usual nightly last minute eating and drinking routine. There was still the squabble for the hens getting the top roosting spot and the pullets getting knocked down to lower bars.