Urgent help needed!

[Rhodebar Lover]

So long story short, I put up nesting box curtains and now my chickens are terrified of the coop. They are roosting in trees and I can't find them at night If I'm lucky I can find half of them. I removed the curtains and they will not step foot in the coop. THEIR ONLY FOOD IS IN THE COOP AND THEY STILL WONT GO IN. They are SO HUNGRY and I can't leave their normal portions of food outside or my dogs will eat it.We are going on the third day???? By having to find them at night, they get terrified and run away in the dark. The chickens now hate me, won't eat out of my hand, and I can't even get near them during the day because they're so scared now.To make matters worse, a coyote just killed two yesterday because they're too afraid of the coop to seek safety in it. The cherry on top is that I'm leaving for a cruise in two days and no one will be able to find and collect them nightly from their trees (I myself can barely do it). I have never had this problem in my life and this is the most exasperated I have ever been after keeping chickens for almost a decade. I have always raised heavy, docile breeds and I am at wits end with the flighty breeds How do I fix their negative association with the coop and myself??

 

[All4Eggz]

I'm sorry this is happening with your flock.
Have you tried shaking feed to get them rounded up?
Do they free range? Do they have a secure run? Try keeping them locked in the run all day with the feed inside the coop, and see if they'll go in. Put their water in the coop, too, to encourage them to go in.

Once you round them up, I'd suggest clipping their wings so it doesn't happen while you're gone.

Good luck.

 

[bobbi-j]

If you have a roost attached to your run, try putting their feed in the run. Maybe that will lure them in. If you can get them in a run/coop, lock them in for a week or two. I would not suggest locking them into a coop alone if you have one of those little prefab coops…

As far as food, they’re apparently free ranging so they’re getting plenty to eat with grass, bugs, etc.

 

[Rhodebar Lover]

Thanks for the help! I was luckily able to get a net to catch them but I have never been able to find them all plus it's stressing them out immensely. My coop is not a teeny pre-fab one, it's walk in. Still not huge though but I will definitely plan on locking them in it once I catch them all. I feel a bit bad because it's been so hot here lately but it's better than them being dead. I just hope they will decide to stay after being locked in for a week or so. I have one well-behaved broody Brahma that is docile and staying in the coop but every single one of my 14 week olds refuse. I think it's partially a flock dynamic situation. There aren't any non-broody older birds to show them the ropes. They were great about going into the coop before so I have hope. The kicker is their breeds, my Legbars, Deathlayer, and even Schjindelaars are light and can be flighty. It's rubbing off on my Marans as well. I've heard that Deathlayers in particular are known for tree-roosting.
Sadly I have now left for vacation so they're going to have to roost outside for a few days I suppose The coop has an automatic door and I have a pet sitter but it isn't feasible for him to keep catching them every night, especially since I have never even successfully done so and found them all. I will update and see if I can finally catch them all. To be honest, I may put up my electric poultry netting and clip wings if worst comes to worst. I don't like to inhibit their natural abilities but their safety comes first. If I still can't get this situation under control, I'm going to have to rehome them. I'm about to go to college in a few weeks and if I'm not there to meticulously catch them, it isn't fair to them. Although I love them to death, if I can't give them the safety they deserve, then I will put them in a situation that will.

 

[Mrs. K]

How many birds? How big of prefab? Chickens can die of heat too, if the coop is too small and there are too many birds? Your use of plurals is making me think you many have quite a few?

PS - when I re-read this the OP does not have a pre-fab coup.

 

[bobbi-j]

I would not lock chickens up in a coop without an attached run if it’s hot out. Many coops don’t have nearly enough space or ventilation for that.