# How to get the chickens back into their coop



## mcchicken (Mar 24, 2013)

Yesterday I let them free range right before dusk. Of course it felt like it stayed sunny longer yesterday so they got a few hours. I had to chase them back in. My concern is if I have to leave the house quickly do I need to wrangle them up everytime or is there a simple way to get them in the coop ?


----------



## Britt0623 (Apr 14, 2013)

How old are they and how connected to the coop are they? My hens go in the coop at dark on their own. I also feed & water them in the coop and mine are not free range- that may make a difference


----------



## Bird_slave (Oct 26, 2012)

Whenever I introduce birds to a new coop I keep them locked in for at least a week. This sets the coop as home in their minds, the safe place they want to be at night or when frightened. Still there are times when you need them in the coop before dusk. Try training them to the sound of scratch rattling in a tin can. If you can get them trained to come when they hear the sound of the can being rattled, you can toss the scratch into the coop and they should file in to get their share.


----------



## Apyl (Jun 20, 2012)

I lock my birds up in their pen/coop area for a good week before free ranging. After that they know where their home is and wont stray far. They go in on their own at sun down.


----------



## mcchicken (Mar 24, 2013)

So far so good. They don't stray to far and if they get frightened they run right back in. So I guess that's a good sign.


----------

