errant babies!

[Hilary]

i have ten chicks who are now approx ten weeks old. they are in a henhouse with a run on their own, although i am now letting them out each day
they have not yet worked out how to climb the ladder back in the hen house at night - and all huddle together on the floor.
this is somewhat socially limiting for me!!! thinking they are safe in the run - i have to still go and manhandle them each night into the coop.
their mother has lost interest in them totally, i have tried putting her back in there with them to show them how - but she just pecks at them and is generally unpleasant.
how do i teach a new chick a new trick?
thanks

[Hilary B]

You might try putting a small light (a battery lamp?) inside the house when it is getting dark, so that the light shines down the ladder. If, when they can't see much, else they can see the ladder and the way into the house, they may get the message. It may only be needed for a few days..... Not guaranteed, but has to be worth a try?

[Nicos]

Mothers!

[lynda66]

can you put a plank of wood over the ladder?? presumably it's one with rungs?? ....... they may not like the fact they can see through it if it is

[Nicos]

Can you make the ladders less steep..or maybe add a few extra rungs so they don't have to stretch so far between the rungs??

[Hilary]

thanks for the advice so far.
1. there has been a light in the henhouse from the start. that hasnt worked.
2.

[Hilary]

oops...
2. the ladder has rungs - but is a solid piece of wood with slats accross - so no excuse.

i may try just lifting a couple in as they all get anxious when separated - to see if it might lure them.
i may try walking them up the ramp rather like my daughter does with dollies accross a table?
3.

[Hilary]

oops oops... keep pressiing something!

3. i have also been putting food and water in the cabin to try and remind them its an area of pleasure!

I may just get them a hen house on the ground and leave them to it?

should I try putting them in the big hen cabin with the big girls and hope after a couple of days they get the hang of it? just worried they will get S*** on from a great height (why should hens be any different.... its just called life!!!)

[kirsty b]

They will get really picked on! I was given some last year who were about 10 weeks old and my ex-bats were horrible to them. I ended up having to take them out and keep them in an empty greenhouse over winter until they were around the size of a bantam before I put them back in with the others.

[di]

Have you tried putting treats(raisins are a fave)on each rung of the ladder so they gradually make their way up?
Good Luck....sure they'll get there soon.I wouldn't try putting them in with the big girls until they're a little older...we waited for our younger two to reach about 17 weeks(I think)before we put them together.

[Hilary]

many thanks for the recent replies - my weekend update is that the babies found their way up the ladder and into their coop! success!!! then yesterday - i wnet to put them away - and they had settled themselves in the big henhouse with all the big girls - and everyone seemed happy. This morning, i let the big girls out - and then fed the babies on their own inside their growers pellets - and then let them out with the others., will keep a watching brief today to see what they choose to do tonight. cant decide now whether i should be encourging them all together or not//.//// but the big girls did like laying in the chick house and havent been happy its been out of bounds for a while.