Help needed. New chickens not going into new coop at night. Airlifting 36 chickens is exhausting!

Buffy Brahma Mama said:

Had to bring in the big guns lol.

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Blow Torch?

Buffy Brahma Mama said:

We did have red mites in our other coop this year. Never had this problem before, and due to the weather, the population exploded! It took 3-4 weeks to treat the other coop and get them out. Normal methods did not work. Had to bring in the big guns lol.

This coop is new, so had no red mites. Though I'll have to keep a close eye on it given what happened in the other coop and the conditions this year with the weather. Also of note is an explosion in the population of mosquitoes! I went into the new coop last night and was attacked left and right. Even biting my face and through my shirt. It was a constant attack, and I'm sure they must bother chickens as well.

The fan arrived. Just need to install it. I think it will actually help keep the mosquitoes from trying to bite, if the wind created is strong enough...

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I am bitten relentlessly by mosquitos and midges. Have you got standing water anywhere near, like an open water butt, if so see about getting it tightly covered so they cannot lay eggs in the water.

Borders3 said:

I am bitten relentlessly by mosquitos and midges. Have you got standing water anywhere near, like an open water butt, if so see about getting it tightly covered so they cannot lay eggs in the water.

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Thank you!

There is a huge wetland and pond, so it's a tough area! : )

I did check for more standing water and found some in my fire pit.

Buffy Brahma Mama said:

There is a huge wetland and pond, so it's a tough area! : )

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I have the same problem. And when we had a heat wave the mosquitos really went nuts. I mix lotion with mint oil and lavender oil (and citronella now as well) and use that to minimize the bites.

rosemarythyme said:

I have the same problem. And when we had a heat wave the mosquitos really went nuts. I mix lotion with mint oil and lavender oil (and citronella now as well) and use that to minimize the bites.

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Great idea! Thank you : )

Question for the experts, is the ladder into the pop door just too steep? Would that keep them from wanting to get back in? Or is that a non-issue with them not knowing to go in at night. Just my input, it is a pretty coop!!!

RevlisRemmah said:

Question for the experts, is the ladder into the pop door just too steep? Would that keep them from wanting to get back in? Or is that a non-issue with them not knowing to go in at night. Just my input, it is a pretty coop!!!

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It may be for some of them, yet it seems to be fine. I have a similar one on my other coop and they have no issues with it. The other issue I'm having is the auto door. It was not installed high enough for a horizontal opening door, and with the depth of shavings I have in the coop, it is not functioning well. I have switched to a different brand which will work much better for my coop and our winter environment, and will use the other one somewhere else. It will take some work to remove the extra framing I installed for that door though, and it is frustrating to feel I wasted money on it. I also found I could push it open by hand, which tells me a raccoon may be able to as well.
Thus, they have not learned with repetition a single entry and exit point. I mainly open all 4 large doors each morning, plus windows. They may feel it is too wide open and not want to go back in at night. I have been super busy, so have not had a chance to make all my needed improvements yet, and finish the punch list items on the coop.

RevlisRemmah said:

Question for the experts, is the ladder into the pop door just too steep? Would that keep them from wanting to get back in? Or is that a non-issue with them not knowing to go in at night. Just my input, it is a pretty coop!!!

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Looks ok but hard to tell from the angle. That could be a possible issue if it's more than 35-40ish degrees or so.

Buffy Brahma Mama said:

The other issue I'm having is the auto door. It was not installed high enough for a horizontal opening door, and with the depth of shavings I have in the coop, it is not functioning well. I have switched to a different brand which will work much better for my coop and our winter environment, and will use the other one somewhere else. It will take some work to remove the extra framing I installed for that door though, and it is frustrating to feel I wasted money on it. I also found I could push it open by hand, which tells me a raccoon may be able to as well.

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You definitely want an auto pop door that locks, otherwise you may as well leave the coop wide open at night, raccoons have very nibble hands and would be right in there in no time. On another note have you thought about removing the louvres in your gable ventilation and screwing hardware cloth to the gap, that would make a big difference to the hot air getting out.

Borders3 said:

You definitely want an auto pop door that locks, otherwise you may as well leave the coop wide open at night, raccoons have very nibble hands and would be right in there in no time.

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Yes, they claimed it was predator proof. I have a new one ready to go.