Getting the girls back inside there coop.

davin · **Posted:** Fri Mar 23, 2012 7:35 pm

Iam having a hell of a time trying to get my two 22wks old Minorca girls back inside there coop after there day of roaming the yard. I can entice one into the coop but trying to get the 2nd one in is a nightmare. So i was wondering if there is any tips or tricks to get them inside there coop without me chasing the last one around the yard for half an hour.

Thank you, Davin.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Food to entice them, such as a handful of scratch like cracked corn and wheat and a bit of sunflower seeds added in winter, hold your hand out and calming call them as in "took, took", they eventually will out out of your hand and you can throw a handful it in their coop and they should go in.

You could also have the scratch in a bucket and shake and rattle it and "took, took", it's all about being calm and conditioning their behaviour so they respond and you're in charge with positive reinforcement. You get locked up safely for the night for a reward of scratch.

The more you chase a chook, the less they will co operate, they are really smart and they also get stressed with your chasing them like a headless chook and flapping more than them, and then you get stressed.

The key is to be calm and in control and bribe them making going home to roost worth their while.

Chooks thrive on routine and calmness.

Chicka-Dee · **Joined:** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:12 am **Posts:** 1194

Hi Davin,

As PP said you could entice them with food as that is how I get my girls in their coup if they are free ranging and it starts to rain. Otherwise the silly things just get soaking wet (mine mustn't be as intelligent as PP's), & I don't want them catching a chill. You just need to find what they love to eat.

Now, I know PP will disagree with me about the type of food I use to entice my girls, but I scrunch a piece of bread up in my hand/fist and only have a little bit hanging out, and they go nuts over it. I never give them any more than a corner but it works every time. They follow me wherever I am going (usually backwards) & into their coup.

I find my girls put themselves to bed when it gets dark enough. So, what time are you putting them to bed? Because that may just be the key. Leave them out late enough & they will, more than likely, just go to bed anyway.

If the door to their coup is shut & they can't put themselves to bed, I see them starting to look up to see where they can roost for the night.

Hope this helps

Cheers
Chicka-Dee

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Chicka-Dee wrote:

Now, I know PP will disagree with me about the type of food I use to entice my girls, but I scrunch a piece of bread up in my hand/fist and only have a little bit hanging out, and they go nuts over it. I never give them any more than a corner but it works every time. They follow me wherever I am going (usually backwards) & into their coup.

I actually don't disagree about the bread, as long as it works, like with humans, everything in moderation, and as long as it's not junk food and bad for the chooks, I can't see why not.

That's the problem about waiting until late to lock them up to roost, they look up for the safety of a tree or fly over the fence, because it's dark and they are not waiting at the door for you to open it.

Routine and consistency and have enough day light especially in the winter months, chooks are great escape artists, the grass is always greener on the other side...

PS
Hi, Chicka Dee, my chooks used liked to be out in the rain and mud, especially Mr. Rooster and Boss Chookie and I have to towel dry them off before they went back in the coop as it is really wet, damp and cold in the winter down here.

BigFishLittleFish · **Posted:** Fri Mar 23, 2012 8:56 pm

i leave the coop open and if i am too late to lock the chickens up myself they are always already tucked in to bed when i get there at night... but if it is still light and they aren't ready for bed but i have to lock them up, i just take a cup of scratch mix and tip it in their metal bowl. they come running for it once they hear the 'tink tink tink' sound of the food hitting the metal bowl.

Chicka-Dee · **Joined:** Tue Jan 17, 2012 11:12 am **Posts:** 1194

Hi PP

And here I was sure that you would disagree with me. Looks like I'm wrong again (don't tell my husband, I'll never hear the end of it!).

I'm the same as BFLF now. I leave my coup open so they can put themselves to bed & then I can just come along when it gets dark & close the door.

I have been reading your AWOL posts, so I understand your comment about chooks being great escape artists. Very sad that Boss Chookie & Mr. Rooster are now gone (sorry to hear about that dilemma).

Also glad to hear my girls are not he only ones silly enough to stand around in the rain and mud. Dopey things. I had to blow dry 5 chooks the other day. it looked like a chook salon in my laundry.

Cheers
Chicka-Dee

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Chicka-Dee wrote:

Also glad to hear my girls are not he only ones silly enough to stand around in the rain and mud. Dopey things. I had to blow dry 5 chooks the other day. it looked like a chook salon in my laundry.

Cheers
Chicka-Dee

Great idea a chook salon

Problem is with leaving the coop door open up here is my chooks don't have an enclosed run, so whilst they free range wild beasties such as wild birds and rodents go in and raid and plunder the chook's feed, so I keep the door locked. If the girls need to go back and lay an egg, they tap on the back window and cluck rather loudly and they run back and forth to the coop.

We also have foxes and even in broad day light they run off with defenceless chooks and not to mention certain neighbour's dogs that like the taste of chicken feathers and all...

johs · **Posted:** Sat Mar 24, 2012 10:56 am

I don't really have this problem. My girls associate me with food so they will follow me anywhere.

Bribery will always work. Mine will kill for corn, sunflower seeds and meal worms. Yummy! :-?

The girls are in an enclosed backyard so while I can lock them away if I have to generally they come and go as they please. Put themselves to bed and go about their business in the morning. (dawn usually - I've seen them out on the grass with the dew. Still pretty dark)

Some of mine like the rain, especially the worms it brings to the surface and some of them stay under cover.

Good Luck.

Jo

davin · **Posted:** Sat Mar 24, 2012 2:51 pm

Thank you all for your suggestions. I have been using bread to entice them in, they do follow me but one of the girls hangs back & then turns around & continues wandering around.

But the good news is, today as i was walking to the coop i was rattling the bag of scratch & they both came running over & straight into the coop woohoo4

. So hopefully i have found a solution.

btw, my girls also dont mind the rain, happily scratching around in the rain.

Thank you, Davin.

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