what is the deal?

[sheena6292]

I just finished our new coop. And no one will go in it. They crowd under the ramp until I go down and put them in. We never had this problem with the juvie coop they were in bed at dusk every night. So why won't they go in? Hubby says be patient they'll learn its been 4 nights and still not one has figured it out!

woo saw woo saw. 40 birds everynight is a pain.

 

[Mrs.H]

I have you had them locked in the new coop for a few days without letting them go out? That way they no where "home" is. I kept my adult chickens that were given to us in the coop for a few days so they knew thats where "home" was food, water, roost etc. Never had a problem with them not going in, went right in for bed their 1st day out.

 

[gryeyes]

Granted, I only had nine chickens to carry, one by one, into the new coop, but I was awfully glad when they decided to go in all by themselves on the third night. They were ticked off at not being able to go into their old coop, which I commandeered for the new batch o' adolescent pullets.

And one night, one chicken who routinely went to bed last missed her opportunity, when the automatic door closed before SHE made it in. She slept under the coop that night, and only that night. If she hadn't gone so far beneath it, I could have fetched her out.....

Patience. I didn't want to lock them in the new coop for a few days, first. I thought it was sorta cruel after they had been free to use the run for so many months. But if I had been forced to carry chickens for that third night, I would have gotten tough and locked them inside it for a few days. Once that automatic door closed, I had to carry chickens from where they had perched on top of the old coop, grumbling about it, out the run gate, close the gate behind me, walk down the path to the people door on the new coop, open the door, and place them inside. Repeat 8 more times. It wasn't just a simple "shove 'em through the pop door" process.

 

[sheena6292]

I sure hope its soon I just had to wrangle all of them in out of the rain. Finally gave up and dragged the juvie coop in for about 15 of them then had to chase two that got out in the process of getting the coop in. I am ready to thin the roos out right now, they're very lucky they aren't big enough to eat. Lol.

 

[sarahsark]

Quote:
Sometimes chickens are just dumb! We love 'em, but they can be a little thick-headed.... Our hens have beautiful nest boxes with lots of soft bedding, inside a sturdy, cozy coup that's harder to break into than Fort Knox and looks more like a house, and where do they go to lay their one or two eggs a piece every day?

Either our rickety, rusty shed right there in the middle of the floor exposed to the world, or, apparently, in dirty dog houses that I had thrown off to the side with the intentions of giving away.

So, I can feel your pain.