Won't go in at night

[michickenwrangler]

My 8 week old Black Star and EE pullet are not going in the coop at night. They all mash together in a hollowed out stump in the run. I usually go out at 9:30 pm or so to toss them in the coop. If I go out any earlier, they just run outside again. I have to close up the coop then and I prefer to leave it open at night. I've been doing this for over a week now.

I think the 6 adult hens are chasing them back out at nighttime.

Any advice? Thanks

DH said to just leave them out, but I haven't had any predator problems so far and I don't want any to be tempted by seeing a nice juicy chicken dinner just sitting out at night. That and they need to go inside come winter.

But I also want to go on a few overnight trips this summer and I want to make sure they know to go in without me.

 

[Armageddon]

My chickens weren't sleeping where I wanted them to...so everynight after it was dark, I moved them to where I wanted them to go and closed the door.....now they go on their own.....

We were in the process of coop building and their spots kept getting disturbed....I think they got confused.....

 

[felidaet]

Put a light in the coop. Turn it on about an hour before dark. This will attract them into the coop. After you shut the door turn the light off. After a week or two of the routine they will learn to go into the coop at night. This technique worked last year and again this year with my new flock.

You may have a bigger problem here. Mixing 8 week olds with hens often times does not go well. Lots a problems can occur, including the older birds killing the younger one. Most people recommend not integrating them until the young ones are the same size as the adults. I currently have two flocks housed side by side (I actually divided the run in half with poultry wire). I don't plan to remove the poultry wire and integrate the flocks until the young flock is about 18 - 19 weeks old.