Chook Me!

How do you educate Chicken to enter their coop at night????

We have recently built a chicken run consisting of a coop on stilts (600mm high) which is entered by a ramp with footbars at 150mm spacing. The coop is contained within a fully enclosed area (frames with chicken wire) with is approx. 12 square metres. Upon purchaing 5 chicken (16 week old Marans) they have settled in remarkably well (providing 8 eggs in first 3 days) and during the daytime they appear happy to climb the ramp and indeed 1 of the hens actually used the nest box on the 3rd day. However at night they have not worked out that it would be prudent for them to enter the coop where there are 2 perches and the floor is covered with sawdust for their comfort. On the second night we physically picked them up and placed them in the coop where they stayed until morning (albeit with the door to the ramp left shut) On the third night it looked as though they would enter on their own accord. Alas, at dusk they huddled together at the base to the ramp. SUGGESTIONS PLEASE

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1. in the morning, feed them in the same spot outside of the coop with the coop shut. then feed them at night inside the coop with the door shut. Continue this for 3 weeks, then feed them in the morning in the same spot with the coop open, and at night in the same spot with the coop shut. Give them more time, try putting some lavender springs in the nesting area of the coop. it with attract them. worked for my friends chickens!
2. Get them all sitting comfortably on theit perchs. Then say ( in a stern voice) "Now look here you lot. I have spent a lot of time and money making you a really nice place to live. If you don't go into the Coop at night either Freddy Fox will get you, or KFC, Capish?" That should do it........
3. You are doing right by setting them where you want them...They are unsure of what to do.....We have raised chix for 5 years now and we have to round em' up at night and sometimes put them on the perch... if you have a hanging light near their night perch they will try to stay by the light but you need to put up a tin shield between the light and their pearch so they don't break the hanging bulb....When they get into a pattern, and they will, don't be shocked to see that one hen is not allowed to join the others! I don't know why that is but it seems to always happen..put a piece (approx.2' x 2') plywood at an angle leaning against the wall so that "picked on one" will have a place to go and hide....Your place sounds perfect...Just be patient....If you want to increase the amount of eggs you get, feed the cucumbers sliced in half longways and leave the seeds and skin on..they love em'.... Also, there is always food to attract them in....G'luck....
4. I HAVE A QUESTION FOR YOU YOU HAVE 5 CHICKENS RIGHT? DO YOU HAVE A ROOSTER IF NOT GET ONE, ON EXPERIENCE HENS WILL DO WHAT ROOSTER SAY DO HE TELLS THEM WHEN TO GO TO BED AND WHEN TO GET UP BY THE CROWS. HE GOES INTO THE COOP THEY WILL FOLLOW
5. Ever heard of the expression "bird brain". Once they get used to the routine it's possible but I wouldn't hold my breath on them ever going in of their own accord.
6. Simple, put a small watt night light in the area where you want them to spend the night. You can install a timer if you want so it comes on before dark and goes off a couple hours after dark. They lay better when there is more hours of light too. Chickens do not like dark and will automatically go to the light. Just make sure the bulb is shielded from their pecking a small screen wire cover works fine. You may have to adapt the strength of the light depending on how large the area you are lighting is. You want it bright enough to light the doorway from the inside. Adding a little scratch feed to the inside also helps.
7. Though chickens will go to a light at night and placing one in the house will generally get them in in the evening.It is not recommended,chickens are very sensitive to light and it can cause them to stop laying.You should never use an open rung walk way for chickens.A solid plank with one inch rises on it is much better.You can also cut grooves in it.Basically anything that will give them traction.A chicken is a ground based bird and generally only fly up to roost so they aren't to keen on wanting to walk up a ramp.The best way to teach them how to return to the roost is by keeping them in the hen house for about a week.The second way is to chase them in to the house about an hour before dark each night and then close them in.Chickens follow a routine when it comes to roosting.Once they get the routine down they will do it on their own. Chickens also have a strict social order.If you don't have a rooster you should seriously think about getting one.They tend to follow the dominate bird.
8. FOOD
9. turn the lights out.