How do I get my chickens to go in the coop before nightfall?

[ArcticFowl]

I have noticed that lately mine are about the same time maybe a little later..

 

[Ray the chicken guy]

We're new to chicken farming, and still learning that we have to reorder our lives around our chickens. We needed to leave the house early (well before the sun went down) for Easter dinner, and were faced with the question of how to get the chickens (8 weeks old) to go back in the coop. We ended up grabbing them one at a time and putting them back in the coop, but that won't be an option once their run is bigger (and so are they). So how do you get chickens to go back into the coop when you want them to?

 

[Ray the chicken guy]

I have an elevated coop that is about 3 feet off the ground with a wooden ramp. At sunset or soon after I've been taking my chickens (that were just introduced to their run and coop at about 8 weeks of age) one by one and help them walk up the ramp starting at ground level and up the ramp into the coop. It worked for me with chickens I had before. They eventually put themselves in the coop at sunset.

 

[2 Acres]

All chickens are part "Hom-ing" pigeon. Keep in mind their eyes don't see light like we do. They know when to go into the coop.

Of course I cheat with lights on timers, inside and outside the coop.

 

[2 Acres]

 

[2 Acres]