Trying to manage my flock but I think they hate my coop!

It might be that there was less light available so they laid less over winter- especially if they are heavier breed birds. My 9 girls just turned a year, we don't supplement light, so until recently we were only getting a couple/few eggs a week, and now 7 a day within the past 2 weeks!

As for them staying in the coop- I found that previously when my free range birds didn't want to roost/lay in the coop, I would have to extremely vigilant about moving them back to the coop, and locking them up in if for several days to break the habit. Try offering favorite treats in the coop about a half hour/hour before sunset, that way they aren't in sleepy mode, locking up behind them. Chickens love to roost in high places- the rafters are probably higher than the coop roosts- so feel safer to them, even if it really isn't.
 
Again, no expert, but it makes sense that your chickens would lay less if they were all locked in the coop at the same time (unless it's ginormous) because there wouldn't be as much solidarity for each chicken when they decide to lay.

I have experienced the same thing about laying less frequently when confined with my own chickens.Once they are let out to free-range,as each chicken needs to lay, they enter back into the coop by themselves with no worry of any other chickens bothering them.

So, not laying while confined I would presume to be a somewhat common problem, the source of which being that the chickens (as would I) don't like to be bothered whilst laying.
 
Can you install some chicken wire to block off the rafters in the goat shed? If they can't get up there they'll go looking for someplace else and maybe go back to the coop.

As for the ones who play "musical nests", when you remove their eggs put some ceramic ones in their place. Then the hens won't think their eggs have been taken and move.
 
Can you install some chicken wire to block off the rafters in the goat shed? If they can't get up there they'll go looking for someplace else and maybe go back to the coop.

As for the ones who play "musical nests", when you remove their eggs put some ceramic ones in their place. Then the hens won't think their eggs have been taken and move.
I didn't think about that.. with the ceramic egg for my "musical nests" IE broody hens.. thanks for the advice.
 
Golf Balls work also- and are easier to find! But as I mentioned on your other thread, your run is way to open for them to feel safe! I think if just you block off the rafters on the goat shed, you chicken will find another "safe" place to roost before they choose the Run, like high up in the trees surrounding the shed/run.

Being so exposed in that run means they are expanding a lot of engery just to keep warm in the wind, damp, and occasional cold weather you get. Which means a lot of stress and no eggs while confined.
 
Golf Balls work also- and are easier to find! But as I mentioned on your other thread, your run is way to open for them to feel safe! I think if just you block off the rafters on the goat shed, you chicken will find another "safe" place to roost before they choose the Run, like high up in the trees surrounding the shed/run.

Being so exposed in that run means they are expanding a lot of engery just to keep warm in the wind, damp, and occasional cold weather you get. Which means a lot of stress and no eggs while confined.
we tried golf balls they don't work. But everything you says make alot of sense bc for a while before they found the stall.. they roosted in the apple trees. But what I don't understand is look at a chicken house that raise chickens for egg production. There are probably a thousand birds in once of those, and they lay, eat, roost, everything in one building without ever getting let out.. what's the difference? lol
 
But what I don't understand is look at a chicken house that raise chickens for egg production. There are probably a thousand birds in once of those, and they lay, eat, roost, everything in one building without ever getting let out.. what's the difference? lol
The difference is that they have no choice, and there are so many birds packed into a very big building that it does feel cozy, the interior is very dark, especially for birds that have all their insintics bred out of them.
 

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