# Mama Hen not getting chicks back into coop at night?



## Trip Trap Mountain (May 1, 2011)

Our hens have 1/2 acre fenced where they free range each day (with the goats). There are several goat houses and the coop. For several evenings our Mama hen would roost in one of the goat houses and I would have to move her and chicks each night into the coop. Last night she was back in the coop for the first time but with only one chick! I searched all over the field with a flashlight for the missing 3 chicks and couldn't find them. Finally decided to try one time with the Mama hen. I held her and walked with her clucking and finally heard the peeps I was hoping for coming from under the coop. The 3 chicks were all huddled together under some rolled fencing. Got everyone back into the safe coop and they all snuggled right under Mama hen.

Today I am thinking we need to fence a small 10x10 area for Mama Hen and the chicks. We may put a door on one of the dog houses to use as a temporary coop for them... or I will continue to move them into their coop every night. Then we can use this smaller fenced area when our incubator chicks are ready to move down to the field.


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## nubians2 (Feb 20, 2011)

I am having a similar problem. Mine are in a 8 X 16 run with a coop. I moved her in there last week. She stayed with her three chicks outside the first couple of days. Then she decided to go into the coop to the nesting box leaving one chick outside that couldn't figure out how to get in. Every night at the end of my chores I go catch the little guy and put him in the nesting box with her. Last night he did figure out how to get up the ramp into the coop but he isn't strong enough to jump into the nesting box which is 18" off the ground. I put a dog kennel in there for them to use but she wants the nesting boxes. I think it will be a matter of days that more feathers come in and he will make it into the boxes so for now I am helping him. We are still getting really cold at night and he wouldn't make it without her.


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Was she going in on her own every night prior to chicks? 
We have a special whistle we do for the chickens every night prior to closing the coop and we feed them a little in the coop when they come running. 
Hope those chicks get the idea soon.


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## Trip Trap Mountain (May 1, 2011)

well, we set up the 10'x10' dog kennel. i thought i was done with it... but it's back! Samson really tore it up when we used to put him up in it. i probably won't dislike it so much without a really angry goat in it. 
it has a dog house inside for shelter and i'll just continue to move them into the big coop every night. pain but it is what it is. and this way we are already set up for the incubator chicks to move down there.


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