We got some new ex-battery hens on Sunday and they haven't quite got the hang of taking themselves to bed yet. The first couple of nights we went out before dark and lifted them all in. Last night 3 of them had taken themselves to the bed but the rest were stood around the hen house waiting for us and were overjoyed when we picked them up and popped them in to the coup. I think they had been waiting for us!
Tonight we went out for a meal at the pub and didn't get back till it was dark. 2 of the girls were safely tucked up, one had got as far as the pop hole and stopped there and the others were scattered over the garden (luckily within the electric poultry netting). We easily found all but one of them. With torches and peering under all the bushes we still couldn't find poor Jennifer.
So, we called in reinforcements... Nellie the labrador found her within a minute and Jennifer is now tucked up with all the others.
Tomorrow night we're going to try putting a light in the hen house to try and encourage them in and are not going out! Nellie will be on standby, just in case!