Millie-Annie Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Never had this problem before and not sure what to do. My four new girls have mastered the ramp and trot down quite happily in the morning. Problem is bedtime. First one goes to bed ok, second one and I presume it is always the same one, plonks herself in the doorway, head facing into coop and sits there. The other two line up behind her but finally give up and go back down and settle down on the floor. For the last two nights I have pushed her into the coop, but then I have to pick the other two up and put them in before she moves back into position. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 You may have to keep moving her to "train" her. It is not something she has needed to think about in her previous life. Chickens can be re-trained with patience and before you know it, she will have learned how it should be done. I have needed to train my girls that is simply isn't on for all 12 of them to squeeze into one eglu So, I patiently stand in the WIR at bedtime and as soon as the favourite eglu is filled, I close it quick and that forces the girls left out to look to the other accomadation. I was out until late one day last week and my ds closed the eglus after dark. When I opened them all up in the morning, it was apparent they had finally got the message and had distributed themselves evenly Keep putting her in, but just before the other two give up and settle on the floor. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted December 31, 2011 Author Share Posted December 31, 2011 Isn't it odd these are my third lot of ex-batts and none of the others did that? The other thing these do is, instead of sitting in the nesting boxes, they all squeeze along the edge and perch. I didn't think ex-batts had ever learnt how to perch? I can keep pushing her in for a couple more days, but once I am back at work, it will be pitch black when I get home and don't fancy scrabbling round the run floor in the dark, trying to hold a torch and catch chickens Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Then I hope they are fast learners Yes, no matter how many chickens you have, its their individual characteristics which make them so charming (or hard work ). I have a maglite which has a lovely longish handle which I turn on, tuck under my armpit and then use my other free hand to "scoop" the chicken towards my torch hand. Do-able, but not the way I prefer to spend my time Fingers X'd for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfer_chicken Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Sounds like you need one of those headlamp things I hope they learn what to do soon, though it sounds like three of them already have- just the other one is getting in the way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patricia W Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 My Phillip does this every night and his ladies have to push past him! I notice that the ex-batts are always the last to bed. They seem not to be phased by the fading light and enjoy having that last snack when everyone else is in bed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken shack Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 My ex batts are always last to bed. For about a week now 2 of the ex batts have decided the looks better and have been sleeping with the others however one wants to sleep in the Each evening I have lifted her and popped her in the Tonight she has done it on her own. I have rings on my ex batts so I can tell them apart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted December 31, 2011 Share Posted December 31, 2011 Both of my groups of ex batts have had to be taught how to go to bed. It took about 4-5 nights with both groups I seem to remember. I just kept shoving them in until they worked out what to do. Weirdly, my new girls perched the very first night I got them, however they have since discovered the joys of sleeping in the nest box and head there at bed time now. With my old girls, they did it the other way round and squashed into the nest box at night time for ages until they decided that actually perching was a rather nice idea. Funny girls, eh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted January 5, 2012 Author Share Posted January 5, 2012 I still have one who will not go to bed. I get home and it is dark, so up I go torch in hand and Josie is always curled up on the ground and all the others are in the coop. I pick her up and stand her on the ramp and she makes her way in finally. What am I going to do with her? The other strange thing is the other three are always lined up on the edge of the nesting box in a row. I have never had perching chickens before, they have all loved settling down in the soft next boxes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 She'll get the hang of it, given time and patience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosey Supposey Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Our last lot of ex-batts cracked bedtime by day 3. The current ones have been with us a week and they're really not interested in bedtime. Last night was the first time they completely put themselves to bed, but it was pitch black out there by then. I'd been putting a torch in the Eglu to illuminate it, but that seemed to have no effect, so we were using a combination of waiting and shoving... and they can always out wait us. Silly me thought as the last girls sorted out bedtime so easily, these four would be the same. Wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 It is only one of them, and every night she is asleep head under her wing up the corner of the run. We are away next week and my neighbour looks after them, but he won't be crawling under the run to get her, so sadly if she hasn't sorted it by then, she will be sleeping outside for three nights. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Just remember these are ex-batts and have no concept that they can sleep in a different area to where they stand/sleep/lay. But, chickens *can* and do learn new behaviours - as do we Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Millie-Annie Posted January 6, 2012 Author Share Posted January 6, 2012 These are my 7th, 8th 9th and 10th ex batts, all the others have managed to put themselves to bed. The first 6 within a day of having them. I will worry about her if she gets left outside all night, but there really isn't anything I can do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mum Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Oh there's always one As far as being away and worrying, you might just have to resign yourself to that if she still hasn't learned by then. You're doing all you can, after all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted January 6, 2012 Share Posted January 6, 2012 Luck of the draw - mine only arrived yesterday and are going to bed fine - I have had pure breeds that took weeks - in the summer there was one I put to bed for about a month when they moved from the Eglu to the Cube - he sat on the high perch near the door, but didn't go in! They will get there eventaully. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
