Staceyhenclub Posted August 15, 2016 Share Posted August 15, 2016 (edited) Hello guys Hope I'm posting in the correct section!? If not, apologies.. I am a new chicken owner and have 4 beautiful little darling girls who are aged approx 17 weeks.. Isa Browns. We have had them since day olds and they have been outside for quite a while. We have made them a chicken run from and old car port and inside the port is their coop. They free range in the garden most of the day and are great! HOWEVER, I cannot get them to go into their coops at night. Me and the kids needs to go and pick them up and put them on the coop perch each and every night. I've been using this forum for tips and tried the flash light which worked once and never again, I've tried treats etc. I have no idea what else to try? They perch mainly on top of their coop, occasionally they perch elsewhere. Their coop is cleaned out daily and has plenty of ventilation. I am looking for advice... Anyone!! I also tried to attach pics of their run/ coop incase it was required but don't know how to.. Stacey x Edited August 15, 2016 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Have you checked the coop for red mite as I think sometimes this can deter them from roosting in there at night. You will need to make 5 posts before you can post a photo on the forum and then use something like photobucket, as I don't think you can add a picture directly to the forum and need a photo hosting site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickabee Posted August 16, 2016 Share Posted August 16, 2016 Sounds like they've just not learnt where to go yet. Keep putting them on the roosting bars each night. They'll learn eventually. Alternatively if the carport is completely fox proof, they don't actually have to go in the coop. Welcome, and good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staceyhenclub Posted August 16, 2016 Author Share Posted August 16, 2016 Thank you for the reply. Yes I have treated the coop for red mite and I have inspected it several times. I've also painted the inside white and there is no evidence of redmite. I will persevere with lifting them.. And hopefully they eventually learn! Stacey X Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 I will persevere with lifting them.. And hopefully they eventually learn! Stacey X it's all you can do really. their having a bit of a teenage rebellion they'll settle back into putting themselves to bed either when they start to lay or when it gets cold at night Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justadmin Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 I have two ISA browns in a converted garden shed which is their run and the coop is also inside that, similarly to you my girls never wanted to actually go in the coop and sit on the perch, preferring instead to sit on top of the coop. For the first week or so of having them (back in March) I diligently went out and lifted them down and onto the perch, but they kept going up onto the roof. In the end I thought that actually it's their life and if they want to sleep on the roof then let them sleep there. They're fenced in, the shed is predator proof and they have another roof above them to keep them dry. I think I was getting more stressed than they were, as a newbie owner I'd read everywhere that chickens *will* take themselves to bed on their perch every night and it was frustrating me that they weren't doing what the books said they would do! Once I realised they were safe, happy and quite content sleeping elsewhere I stopped stressing and let them get on with it. Might be a different story when the cold weather comes though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted September 1, 2016 Share Posted September 1, 2016 I it was frustrating me that they weren't doing what the books said they would do! trouble is chickens don't read the same books as we do they can also get into the habit of been put to bed among other 'bad' habits which can be a pain to break them of Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
