Pro - Does anyone else's nest boxes get soaked in rain?

[JaneyW]

is anyone else finding that these long evenings are playing havoc with chicken bedtimes? I have had four chickens since September and every night they take themselves off to bed in their eglu cube. For the last week, they have been roaming around the garden showing no interest in going to bed, until it starts to get dark and then they can't seem to find the door into the run. They stand on the outside of the chicken run trying to fly onto the ladder and flying into the side of the run instead. It is clearly quite distressing for them and so today I have kept them in the run all day, and I have just seen them going up to bed about an hour earlier than when they are free ranging. Other than keeping them locked up all day, I can't see how to get round this. I have tried luring them back into the run with grapes which is usually fail safe, but they stand there looking at me and then walk off. Shining a light in the run to light up the inside doesn't work either. Thanks

[Grandmashazzie]

I tend to let mine free range until about 4 ish.Then run around the garden shaking the plastic mealworms bag or rattling the corn bowl.They come running like mad and straight into the run, which is locked.The door of coop is open so they go to bed whenever.Most are choosing to sleep on the perch outside the coop.

[Cat tails]

Mine free range until it's bedtime. Some days the door of the run isn't shut at all. But I do always close the pophole, to prevent them waking the neighbours (and me) at 5 am...

Chickens have very poor eye sight in the dark, so it is very likely that they don't even see the grapes you are holding.

Maybe you should just shut them in the run earlier, or herd them in with a broom or something?

[The Dogmother]

I tend to let mine free range until about 4 ish.Then run around the garden shaking the plastic mealworms bag or rattling the corn bowl.They come running like mad and straight into the run, which is locked.The door of coop is open so they go to bed whenever.Most are choosing to sleep on the perch outside the coop.

 

I do something similar, depending on the time of year... mine are all trained to come when i whistle, so I walk down the garden with them following me, lob a handful of seeds in the run, in they go and I shut the run door. they see themselves to roost, and I leave the door open at night.

[chickencam]

Mine are corn trained too, I just rattle the corn scoop and call them, the only problem that I then have is that I have three runs and I get the wrong ones in the wrong runs but they usually get but right after a peck or two.

[JaneyW]

Thanks everyone. I think they are just being a bit rebellious at the moment. Normally they would go anywhere for a grape but they seem to know that I am trying to lure them into the run so that I can close the door. I am going to leave them in the run for a couple of days and then let them out earlier in the day, in the hope that I can get them in in the afternoon rather than the evening. I don't blame them for wanting to enjoy the long evenings!

[PixieDust]

Yes mine come to mealworms but I am considering training them to the dog whistle too.