Yet another chicken drama
July 14, 2024 6:47 PM Subscribe
How do we get our new batch of chickens to go in the coop at night? Every batch of chickens we've ever had has known to go into the coop on their own at dusk, but this new batch refuses to cooperate.
My parents have had chickens for almost 20 years. Every morning, my dad opens the front door of the coop and they all come tumbling out, so happy to be outside. During the day, the chickens are free range and wander all over the property living their best chicken lives. At dusk, they all go back up to the barn and go into the coop on their own. Then at night, my dad goes over and shuts and barricades the coop door so no predators can get in. Its all so easy and civilized. For twenty years, all our chickens have just...known how this works.
BUT NOW, we have a new batch of chickens that just will. not. get with the program.
We got the new batch (about a dozen) as chicks and now they are about four months old. So they are slightly smaller than the older hens and roosters (also about a dozen), but will probably all be the same size in another month or two. We kept them separate when they were little, but integrated them about a month ago. All the chickens seem to get along fine. The coop is big enough for all of them. But these new chickens will NOT go in the coop on their own. INSTEAD, every night they all gather on a cart NEXT to the coop and wait for my little old dad to come over and pick up each one separately and carry them into the coop.
It is time consuming not to mention dangerous for my poor dad to have to wrangle a dozen chickens every night in the dark. Its not the end of the world right now but as the weather turns colder in fall and winter, this is not sustainable.
How do we train these damn chickens to go into the coop on their own, like literally every other chicken we've ever had has done???? I fear my dad has now inadvertantly trained them into believing this is just what happens each night - they wait patiently in the cart until the nice old man carries them over and puts them to bed! Once theyre in the coop, they roost and seem happy. Its not like they're scared of the coop. They dont fight with the other chickens. There has to be a way to make them go in on their own!
My parents have had chickens for almost 20 years. Every morning, my dad opens the front door of the coop and they all come tumbling out, so happy to be outside. During the day, the chickens are free range and wander all over the property living their best chicken lives. At dusk, they all go back up to the barn and go into the coop on their own. Then at night, my dad goes over and shuts and barricades the coop door so no predators can get in. Its all so easy and civilized. For twenty years, all our chickens have just...known how this works.
BUT NOW, we have a new batch of chickens that just will. not. get with the program.
We got the new batch (about a dozen) as chicks and now they are about four months old. So they are slightly smaller than the older hens and roosters (also about a dozen), but will probably all be the same size in another month or two. We kept them separate when they were little, but integrated them about a month ago. All the chickens seem to get along fine. The coop is big enough for all of them. But these new chickens will NOT go in the coop on their own. INSTEAD, every night they all gather on a cart NEXT to the coop and wait for my little old dad to come over and pick up each one separately and carry them into the coop.
It is time consuming not to mention dangerous for my poor dad to have to wrangle a dozen chickens every night in the dark. Its not the end of the world right now but as the weather turns colder in fall and winter, this is not sustainable.
How do we train these damn chickens to go into the coop on their own, like literally every other chicken we've ever had has done???? I fear my dad has now inadvertantly trained them into believing this is just what happens each night - they wait patiently in the cart until the nice old man carries them over and puts them to bed! Once theyre in the coop, they roost and seem happy. Its not like they're scared of the coop. They dont fight with the other chickens. There has to be a way to make them go in on their own!
Meal worms. Just toss a handful into the coop close to dusk for about a week, then they'll start going in on their own.
posted by Toddles at 7:39 PM on July 14 [6 favorites]
posted by Toddles at 7:39 PM on July 14 [6 favorites]
I have only ever had three chickens, so I don't claim any particular expertise. But my chickens went absolutely apeshit for grapes, and they were very trainable. If there's something like that that they love, could your dad toss it into the coop every night at dusk? Maybe pair it with a bell, so that he can then fade the grapes and the bell will be their cue?
posted by HotToddy at 7:41 PM on July 14 [3 favorites]
posted by HotToddy at 7:41 PM on July 14 [3 favorites]
Move the cart somewhere else, and maybe add more roosts?
posted by baseballpajamas at 8:09 PM on July 14 [2 favorites]
posted by baseballpajamas at 8:09 PM on July 14 [2 favorites]
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posted by silverstatue at 6:50 PM on July 14