Younger birds won't go in the coop at night

[Foothill chickens]

I have 1 duck and 8 almost-two-year old hens. I bought 3 chicks on a whim over the summer, who are now about 4 months old. I have had them integrated since the "babies" were about 1 month with minimal problems. But the "babies" are definitely their own flock and have taken to going to bed out on some wood boards next to an elevated rabbit hutch. They have only gone in the coop at night time once or twice, even though we put them in the coop every night and so they get up in the morning with everyone else. I live in a forested area with lots of predators. They are in a fenced yard that is about 7.5 feet tall with a galvanized type chicken wire fence, which seems pretty secure so far, but I always lock the birds in at night.

My question is - am I stuck having to physically carry the birds to the coop every night or is there some way to make them go to bed with the others? I think the bigger birds kind of guard the door to the coop, they are big bottomed girls that don't seem to be able to get on the roost. So they hang out by the door of the coop, I call them the bouncers. i've threatened the bossy hens with the soup pot, but they look at me like they don't understand

Thanks for any advice!

 

[Kevin565]

It sounds like they aren't really included enough yet in the flock to roost with them. I would think this would stop after they've been together for awhile but i'm not sure.

 

[Hunter0704]

I saw there someone was having the same problems with their chickens and it was suggested that they feed once in the morning, inside the run, and again in the evening inside the run before lock up. This is supposed to teach the chickens that to eat the last meal of the day, they have to go inside the run to get fed. Then lock them in for the night. Hope it works for you??

 

[Mahonri]

I have a TJ leghorn who won't roost with the rest of the flock in the coop. She is a loner on a roost in the run. Maybe when she starts to lay...