Chicken bald back

[emmalou]

Tonight took 30 mins to get our 5 chickens in. There is one that seems reasonable at getting herself to bed. We managed just two in the house tonight and that took 15 mins. The others we again had to pin into a corner gently and then caught the, and had to out them in that way, It took 30 mins and was exhausting, Hubbie is back to work bext week and fear they will be sleeping in the run if I cannot get them in. I know we cannot keep doing this and the food does not seem to entice them at all atm.

[Hippie Chick]

I'm not sure if I've got this right, but it seems that the chickens are happy to go back into the run but they don't want to go back into their coop when you want them to, is that right?

 

Have you tried just shutting them safely in the run and letting them go into their sleeping area when they are ready themselves? This is what I do with mine and I know that one will go into the coop as soon as dusk descends and the others follow one by one over the course of half an hour. If they see me watching them or if I need to go into that area of the garden they will shoot straight out again in case I'm coming to see them.

 

I have an automatic door opener/closer so I just check that the door has gone down when it's fully dark, but if you're closing the door manually then wait until it's fairly dark before going out to close it.

 

The chickens will choose their roosting time based on daylight, so at the moment mine are staying out until 9.30 pm or later depending on the light levels. In the winter they'll be trotting up the ramp to bed at 3.30 pm! If you are trying to put them to bed before they are ready and it's still quite light outside then they will resist your efforts.

 

I know that even if mine were ready to go to roost they wouldn't be impressed with me trying to make them go into the coop all at once. There seems to be a kind of order to it that important to them and part of their hierarchy.

 

If I've misunderstood then I'm sorry!

[emmalou]

Do you know what? You have hit the nail on the head! Yes we are trying to get them in and they probably don't want to. They are in an enclosed run all day atm and they have a chicken house within that. I will let them roam in a few weeks but early days atm. Thing is we too need sleep slightly earlier some nights. Hubbie works shifts and he needs to be asleep by 9pm some nights.Atm I need his help.

Last night two made their way in OK (well after 10 mins) but the other 3 didn't follow. Some nights we simply cannot go out and check too late due to work etc. We were going to try and mesh underneath the coop tonight so we can try and temporarily reduce the size of their run. We were hoping this will aid them using their steps at bedtime. They know how to use the house as they go in during the day to nest. If we had an automatic door we would still need to check them very late. A door may work once they are settled more but on day two the problem is just getting them in! Thanks

[BridieLou]

Hi Emmalou

 

We used to have ducks (who never take themselves off to roost), hence decided to get chickens!

 

I see what you mean about wanting to lock them up if you have an early night, but I think you'll end up stressing too much trying to do it on your own. They can be little terrors!

 

If you've got a predator proof run (ie an eglu one), I'd just leave them in that when you go to bed and leave the coop door open. They'll go in on their own eventually - I think they like the snuggles. They'll soon realise it's much nicer in their coop!

 

We haven't had our for long and I found getting them up the ladder on the first two nights tricky, but they soon learnt. They trot up now if it's dark or really stormy!

 

Good Luck x

[emmalou]

Can I stress they are in a secure "foxproof" run and their house is within than run, so they are not wandering around the garden during the day....yet! We have devised a temporary fence so tonight we can section it off which should help with them getting into a routine.

[mullethunter]

Ah emmalou I get it now! If you need to be in bed by 9 and you're trying to get them in before that, then they just aren't ready yet - their body clocks are saying it's not time.

 

I really would leave them safely in the run with the house door open and they'll take themselves off when they're ready.

[Sil-El]

Ah emmalou I get it now! If you need to be in bed by 9 and you're trying to get them in before that, then they just aren't ready yet - their body clocks are saying it's not time.

 

I really would leave them safely in the run with the house door open and they'll take themselves off when they're ready.

 

I agree.

 

We let ours free range in the garden during the day if we are at home but they have a secure run attached to their house and they are quite happy to be shepherded in to the run each evening, but we leave the pop hole open so they can take themselves to bed when they are ready.

 

It makes for happier hens and happier owners too

[emmalou]

...but you must shut them in the chicken house at some point right or do you have an auto door?

[sjp]

...but you must shut them in the chicken house at some point right or do you have an auto door?

I shut mine up after dark but I put them back in their runs this time of year about 8pm or 1 hour before dark, that's were the bribery and corruption comes in as they've got me trained to give them mixed corn to go back in the runs

[Cat tails]

If you have a secure run, you don't need to close the door of their house/coop. I do shut mine, because they wake up too early and sqwuak everyone awake.

[mullethunter]

...but you must shut them in the chicken house at some point right or do you have an auto door?

 

No to both. I have a Cube (Omlet house) attached to a walk in run. I shut the outer door of the walk in run so that no predator can get in, but have never shut the door of the Cube since I've had it.

[Happily]

we never shut the door to their house. We have had the eglu cube with run, eglu classic with run and now have a walk in run with eglu classic inside and as long as they are in the secure run we leave the house open all the time. They put themselves to bed and get up when they want and just potter in the run.

[Ursula123]

Same here, never shut the door to the cube as long as they are in the secure run safe from predators - they take themselves to bed and get up when they want and scratch around the run.