Feeding advice for bantams (one broody, one moulting)

[McChook]

I received my cube and chickens this afternoon and they've all settled in nicely - they even seem to have nominated top chook (Giblet). They're eating (tons) and drinking constantly, but only one of them will go into the cube. About half an hour ago I climbed into the run and picked each of them up and put them into the cube so they would know it's there, and they all jumped out quite quickly, but now, only Giblet will go in and the other 3 are settling down for a night in the dust bath.

 

Is this because top chook is in there and they're wary of her?

 

Any suggestions how to persuade them to go in would be welcome, thank you

[welsh sarah]

hi

i think i would be tempted to put them all in and close the door, i expect it is all just a bit new and they need a helping hand

sarah

[Tara.F]

put a lit torch in, they'll toddle towards the light

[cluckbok]

Hi ya, Welcome to the forum,

 

It could be cause the top chook is in there, I would try to encourage them in with a torch shone through the door. They find it hard to see in the dark. They should settle down nicely once all in there in the dark. They generally fidget around for a while then settle. Or how about a little corn to encourage them in, that's how we get ours to go into the run if we want them back in, they fall for it every time.

 

Will probably take a good few days to get used to their new home, they will be ok.

[Ain't Nobody Here]

Glad to hear you've got your cube and chooks and they've settled in well . I've heard the torch trick works at bedtime too .

[Egluntyne]

I have had hens for yonks, but tonight I transferred them from the Eglus into the walk in run and cube.

 

They hadn't a clue

 

Even though I put a tempting trail of sweetcorn Hansel and Gretel style up the steps and into the cube, they were all fast asleep underneath it at 10pm, so I went out and manhandled them all into it.

 

I can see me doing that for the next couple of nights.

 

Bless 'em.

[McChook]

Thank you all for your replies! I went for the 'scoop them up and put them in' method, which seems to have worked well. When I went out, one was sitting on the side of the dust bath, one in the tiny space behind it and the other one was on top of her They're adorable, but quite dim

[Egluntyne]

They're adorable, but quite dim

That is it in a nutshell.

[Gallina]

I had to put mine in the Cube the first night, but the next night they knew exactly what to do. This was a mercy, as I don't like crawling through a run-door the size of a large cat-flap any more than I have to.

 

The Cube must look very strange and menacing to them: they have never seen anything that size, shape, and colour before.

[Mrs Slats]

we are having to plop ours into the cube everynight. In a couple of weeks when they get their strength back I will start putting them to bed later and later so hopefully they will start going in on their own.

 

If they think I am crawling on my hands and knees to for all eternity they have another thing coming!

[Troy]

We're picking up our girls in 18 days but whos counting!

The chicken lady suggested we pop them into the cube with some food and water as soon as they get home and leave them in there for 24hrs. By the next day they should pretty much know where 'home' is I guess.

Troy

[MedusA]

Well done on getting your girls, McChook.

 

I've never had this problem as my girls all found their own way to bed, but admittedly that was in an eglu on the ground. I hope for your sake they work out how to get to bed by themselves soon, or you may need a stairlift!