new hens reluctant to enter coop at night

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mabel88
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new hens reluctant to enter coop at night

Post by mabel88 »

got 6 14wk leghorns today been over 2 yrs since i had young hens they wont go in coop at night ive put them in by hand and closed door will persist any tips gratefully recieved
i was born bald and my mother loves Me 50 yrs later nothing's changed

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silverback
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Re: new hens reluctant to enter coop at night

Post by silverback »

Just keep putting them in, they will cotton on! )t'
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mariat
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Re: new hens reluctant to enter coop at night

Post by mariat »

I got my first girls last week, and for the first two nights my hubby caught them and put them in the coop. They caught on quickly and from the third night they went to bed themselves. No problems since.
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p.penn
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Re: new hens reluctant to enter coop at night

Post by p.penn »

Yes - I agree. Just pop them in by hand until they get the idea. It won't be long, generally mine have got the idea in a day or two although I did have one lot that took three weeks and I was thinking it would never happen! {hug}
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mabel88
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Re: new hens reluctant to enter coop at night

Post by mabel88 »

silverback mariat and p.penn thanks for your advice much appreciated )t'
i was born bald and my mother loves Me 50 yrs later nothing's changed
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manda
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Re: new hens reluctant to enter coop at night

Post by manda »

Could try hanging a torch in the coop as well as sometimes the light draws them in.
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HazellB
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Re: new hens reluctant to enter coop at night

Post by HazellB »

If it's not mites in the coop bothering them (always worth checking), I try feeding them inside at about 30 mins to dusk. Scattering of mixed corn or some sunflower hearts and they'll soon be running in to gobble down what they can.

The result is my 30 odd hens now come galloping in at any time I choose, going to bed perfectly after a good scratch about on the house floor. I even have to put them in at late lunch time on occasions and it works fine. For any stragglers, I have one of those Vote UKIP signs they have out at election time (stolen from a garden, obviously {rofwl} ) and that gets waved about a bit in the run. I think the thought of all their chickeny mixed colours being politically incorrect sends them screaming to bed :-D
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