Won't go in the coop

[dana0710]

I have 5 BA's that are approximately 7 or 8 weeks old. They have been in their coop with attached run for about two weeks. I let them out into the run in the morning and put them back in the coop at night. They still haven't learned to go into the coop when it gets dark. They will all stay out huddled in the run doing that distressed chirp after it's dark until I physically pick each one up and put them in the coop and lock them up. What am I doing wrong? They have food and water in the coop. Help!

 

[jetdog]

Leave them in the coop for about 5 days with out letting them out into the run, they are still pretty young you might have to wait until they are older.I didn't put mine out until they were 8 weeks and I locked them in for 5 days and never had a problem getting them to go back in.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It's a learning process for them. You can shine a light inside the coop to help them see where they need to go and/or go out at dusk and lure them into the coop using calls/treats -- getting them to actually move themselves into the coop will help even more than moving them yourself because they start to make the association of, "Oh, it's getting dark - now I walk into the coop"

 

[dana0710]

Thanks for the suggestions. I did leave them in the coop for two days in the beginning. It was all I could stand. I wanted to watch them play outside. Yeah, I know, I know. :-/ I may have to buckle down and just do it.

I started training tonight with a coop light and some boiled egg. I got the big girl in, who also seems to be the boss, but the others weren't having it. I will keep trying.

 

[birdlady79]

Thanks for the suggestions. I did leave them in the coop for two days in the beginning. It was all I could stand. I wanted to watch them play outside. Yeah, I know, I know. :-/ I may have to buckle down and just do it.

I started training tonight with a coop light and some boiled egg. I got the big girl in, who also seems to be the boss, but the others weren't having it. I will keep trying.

Mine go in at night with no problems.... Mine don't go In during the day willingly ... Like today it started raining.... I had to grab two put them in then the others finally followed ... I just turned heat lamp off, it's sad bc it's dark when I get off work, the girls are asleep and it's dark in coop....

 

[dana0710]

I seriously thought about putting one of those little taplight things in the coop. Would that make me a crazy chicken lady?

 

[SusanPC]

I did not use the "lock in the coop for days" tip because it gets too hot in the coop during the day (we're working on ventilation issues to help alleviate that problem soon), although I think it is sound advice for people with a good large, well-ventilated, well-lighted coop. I manually put them in the coop the first night and then lured them with meal worms for 4 nights in a row and they have gone in by themselves the last two nights. The first night using the bait, I shook the mealworm jar and said "chicky-chickies" and put it with my hand in the run with the mealworms in my hand and sprinkled a few on the ground near the ladder. I then sprinkled a few along the ladder. It only took one to start chasing the trail of mealworms for the others to follow. Finally, I stuck the jar and shook it inside the coop (me being outside the coop - through the outside door) and placed some mealworms in the yellow lid inside the coop. Eventually they all went in after the mealworms (first brave one went in and 2 others followed when they heard her eating/scratching). One would not go in and I caught her and placed her inside. The next few nights all I had to do was put a few at the top of the ladder and show them the lid of the jar ( in which I'd placed a few mealworms) by banging it along the sides of the pop door to get their attention. Then I said here chicky chickies and placed the yellow lid with the mealworms in the coop when one started its way up the ladder. They all followed eventually. The trick was having enough mealworms in the lid until they all got inside (or they'd start wandering out), but not so many that they're gorging on too many treats. AND having the yellow lid as a visual cue was really key for me - they have excellent vision. I have a little bit of experience with dog training and using visual and sound cues, but if you've never done something like this before it can seem overwhelming. The key is consistency (same time every night and don't give up!).

Finally, after 4 nights of that, I just waited inside too long one night before going to do my nightly training exercise and when I looked out they were going into the coop. Sorry for all the detail, but maybe the exact details of how to lure will help someone. Good luck and let us know how it goes.

 

[dana0710]

Well, it was a little cooler outside yesterday, and I'm proud to day that the girls went into the coop on their own multiiple times yesterday and they put themselves to bed last night! Yay! I hope it continues!

 

[SusanPC]

Congratulations! Once they "get it" I think it's a done deal. Mine have been putting themselves away every night now. We just go outside sometime after they go in. Tonight they went in early because it was stormy and overcast and we were actually tidying up in the backyard. We just walked over and shut the pop door. Last night we were out and shut the door when we got home at 11pm. I guess my ckickies are doing just fine without me.

Congratulations again! Another milestone accomplished!

 

[dana0710]

Thanks! I'm pretty excited not to be chasing 5 chickens in circles every night, although it's a good workout.