How To Get Chickens Back In The Coop At Night
Returning chickens to the coop at night is one of the most important things you need to do as a chicken owner. Staying in a cage when the sun goes down helps them stay warm and safe from predators like foxes that come out in the dark.In most cases, chickens will instinctively return to the coop and stay out of harm’s way when it starts to get dark, but letting new chickens learn about the coop can take some time for them to get used to where they are. should build a barn. Read: How to Get Chickens Back in the Coop at Night In this article, I’m going to share with you five ways that we’ve tried and tested with our chickens, that will ensure they’re back in the coop at night, that is:
Read on to learn more about each of these seven steps and how you can ensure your chickens return to the coop every night without fail. These steps will work for chickens of all ages, just to get them used to the routine.
1. Let the chickens get used to the new coop before releasing
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When you put new chickens in a coop or put existing chickens in a new coop, they need to get used to it before they fully understand that this is where they are going to make their coop.The best way to do this is to keep the chickens in and around the coop for the first few days or even longer.Now, just to be clear, I don’t mean keeping them in the coop during the day, you’ll need to release them on the run that’s attached to the coop during the day so they can go in and out of the coop When they want, this way the chickens can get used to the cage and easily let them into the cage at dusk, which they should instinctively do. I find this works well for about two or three nights, but I know some chicken owners who prefer to wait longer.If a chicken is very flighty, I will want to keep them in the barn for a little longer. They will probably make you feel bad, but a little pain in the short term is worth it in the long run.
2. Develop calls or whistles that your chickens can recognize
You may think this sounds a bit silly, but having a way of communicating with chickens so they know you’re calling them out is really effective when you’re trying to round them up for the evening. This can be whatever you choose, my husband has a whistle and every time they hear it, they quit what they’re doing and hit the road. The new chickens we found only took about a week or two for them to come calling.
3. Treat your chickens when they return to the coop
Step two really works if you include a call with a treat to return to the coop, they’ll get used to your call and they’ll come running if they know there’s something to eat. This could be some chicken nuggets or some of their favorite greens, whatever you like to use, they’ll run back to get it and go back to the coop area so you can close them in the morning. dark. ‘call and handle’ process from day one even before you let them out of the cage. Some of our chickens can roam quite far during the day and we like to get them back into the coop in the evening and this tactic works every time.
4. Make sure the barn is clean and free of pests
If chickens don’t feel comfortable in their coop, they may be locked in a coop. You don’t have to clean it daily, but little and often is fine to at least remove manure from the floor and nesting areas.When it comes to pests, one of the main problems chicken owners face is red mites, a parasite that eats chickens while they sleep. Red mites can become very difficult to remove and can affect the health of chickens and can even lead to death if the infection is too severe. . Also consider prevention methods even if there is no evidence of red ticks before they become a problem.
5. Keep the barn warm in winter
Chickens are quite hardy and they will huddle together when it’s cold when they’re in the coop. But for nights that get too cold, there are a few things you can do to make their sleep time more comfortable:
- Line the floor of the barn with plenty of sawdust and then spread it with straw.
- Make sure the nesting boxes are filled with plenty of straw.
- A small barn heater is a good choice in very cold conditions and if you have electricity to the barn.
- Consider using insulation panels on the walls and roof of the barn to keep it warmer.
- Give the chickens some pellets that have been soaked in warm water before they go to the coop.
6. As evidence for predators in cages
It’s a good idea to make sure the coop is free from predators before bringing your chickens into the coop. Roosters are common predators in the countryside and in urban areas and once they pick up on the smell of chickens, they will rush in at any moment. take the chicken. Then they will systematically go through the flock and even if the chicken is not needed, they will hide somewhere for later.It’s not just foxes that can kill chickens in the UK, other predators on the list below have been known to kill chickens:
- Weasel – a mammal related to the Ferrets and Ferrets that are small enough to get in through small holes.
- Stats and Weasel – again small enough to squeeze through small gaps but can take down a chicken if they’re hungry or have young to feed on.
- Badgers – have been known to feed on chickens.
- Large birds of prey – less common but in areas with a lot of birds of prey and owls they can catch a small chicken and especially chicks if they are outdoors.
- Rats – as well as a pest that will forage for chickens, they can also catch chickens if they are reckless enough and can get through the tiniest holes.
Even if an animal like a rat gets into the coop and does not cause physical harm, this can cause chickens to become restless and stressed. holes are securely patched. This includes the floor, walls and roof, it is especially important that you close the door of the coop after the chickens have entered the coop for a night’s sleep. Also, remove any leftovers at the end of the day so they don’t attract predators and pests.
7. Make sure the chickens can sit in the coop
Chickens like any bird prefer to stay in a safe place on the ground where they feel safe from predators and can congregate together.The chicken coop should have coop slats before the chickens are brought into the coop. Don’t worry if you have young birds and they don’t use bars at first and instead choose to congregate in nesting boxes, this is something that will come at the right time and especially when they start laying eggs.
Chickens can’t see in the dark
So, by completing these seven steps, it will be easy to catch roosters at night, especially if you call and give them some food each time – they will run continuously.If things get worse and they don’t turn around, they can’t see in the dark and will just stay where they are and so are easy to pick up and put in the cage. In my experience, I’ve never had this problem because we’re used to the cage, so they instinctively always return to their safe place when it starts to get dark.Don’t worry too much about releasing the chickens into your garden, backyard or open ground because once they get used to the barn area they probably won’t go far to start and will know it’s safe. .
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