Chickens staying in coop.

[gothicpicasso]

I had a d’Uccle hen go broody back in October. Once I was convinced she was set on hatching her golf ball, I got her some eggs to hatch. While she was sitting she would get up and run outside to take care of business once or twice a day. During this time her “sister” d’Uccle would often come lay in the nest box momma was using. Everything was going well. The chicks hatched on November 19th. Things went south at this point and I was forced to keep momma and the babies confined in a kennel inside the coop. This went on for several weeks as the chicks grew. I would let them out to run around but manly they stayed safe in the kennel. Around the end of December I started only closing the kennel door at night when they went back in to sleep and would open it first thing in the morning. After a week or two of this I stopped closing it ever but left the kennel so they could sleep in it since they seemed to still be doing that. Now about the time I started only closing the door at night my second d’Uccle decided to stop laying and eventually just started spending all day in the coop with momma and the chicks. Momma never once took the babies outside, that I have seen. So probably a week or two ago momma stopped sleeping with the chicks and went back to sleeping on the roost bar. So here I am with four 12 week old silkie chicks spending all day in the coop, along with two d’Uccle hens. My one silkie hen is now broody and also sitting all day in the coop, but she will run outside to do her business and grab snacks and what not. My four Barred Rocks are going out and roaming around the run and just being themselves. Sorry this is so long just trying to give all of the info I can think or that might be important. I will add I’ve tried putting the d’Uccle hens out in the run and they get nervous and run around a bit before coming right back in the coop. I haven’t forced the chicks out yet because the few times I’ve seen them out in the run they seemed stuck and when I tried to show them how to get back in they didn’t get it. In fact I had to crawl under the coop one night when one of them had gotten locked out by the automatic door. Any ideas on how to get my girls back out into the run enjoying a bit of sun? Any thoughts are appreciated. Thank you.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Hi! Is there something scaring the ones who are staying in the coop? Or bullying? You can try and coax them out with some of their favorite foods or treats. Sometimes chickens just like to stay in the coop for extended periods of time, I know mine do in the winter (but I’m also in a much colder part of the USA than you!) Pictures of your run and coop might help too.

 

[gothicpicasso]

I know the chicks are probably avoiding the Barred Rocks. I never saw any bullying before the chicks came, but I know the chicks could change the dynamic. I’ll attach some pics I have.

 

[orelsi]

It is normal for a mtoher to abandon them at 12 weeks. Early in general, but not exceptional. My last mother hen left the chicks at exactly 14 weeks.

As for the staying inside, force them outside and close the coop, so they can't get back in. Put some feed and water outside. They should learn to go out and enjoy it.

 

[lbgreenfield]

I would also add some “clutter” to your run, for more hiding spaces for the little ones to scurry away from the barred rocks. Stumps, branches, wooden boxes, piles of leaves/mulch to dig through, etc can all help “clutter” the run.

 

[gothicpicasso]

Thank you both. I’ll give it a try. I’ve tried not to “junk”’up my run so it’s pretty barren except for the green box I made, that I’ve been unsuccessful at keeping grass or herbs growing in, a swing, a ball they enjoyed playing with as chicks, and the food/water/grit/oyster shell containers. I’ll have to think up some things to put in there. I can easily kick everyone out of the coop, at least on the weekends when I can check on them easily to be sure no one is getting bullied or hurt.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Thank you both. I’ll give it a try. I’ve tried not to “junk”’up my run so it’s pretty barren except for the green box I made, that I’ve been unsuccessful at keeping grass or herbs growing in, a swing, a ball they enjoyed playing with as chicks, and the food/water/grit/oyster shell containers. I’ll have to think up some things to put in there. I can easily kick everyone out of the coop, at least on the weekends when I can check on them easily to be sure no one is getting bullied or hurt.

Chickens love exploring new things, and a cluttered run tends to make for happy chickens! Even something as simple as a few logs (you can move them every few days and watch the girls gobble up all the worms/bugs hiding underneath) or a pile of leaves/mulch/grass clippings/veggie scraps will keep them occupied for a few hours. Mine love digging in piles! You could also try stringing up pieces of cabbage/apples/cucumbers/melons and watch them peck at the fruit/veggie "clothesline". Even a plastic water bottle with some holes poked through it and some scratch inside will keep them occupied.

Here are a few other suggestions too:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/a-cluttered-run.1323792/#post-21588571

Good luck and keep us posted!

 

[gothicpicasso]

Thanks for the ideas. I do have a few largish rocks in the run. I’d originally tried planting herbs under them, the plant at an angle, and used the rocks to protect the roots from getting scratched up, as with most things it didn’t work. I bet if I move those they could find some bugs there. I do toss out fruit and veggie scraps daily, or at least when I have them. I do have leaves in the yard I could toss in. I try to keep pine straw down in the run to help protect it from getting to muddy, but I’m sure I could make a leaf pile in the run. I’ll have to look around and see what I can find to jazz it up.

 

[lbgreenfield]

Thanks for the ideas. I do have a few largish rocks in the run. I’d originally tried planting herbs under them, the plant at an angle, and used the rocks to protect the roots from getting scratched up, as with most things it didn’t work. I bet if I move those they could find some bugs there. I do toss out fruit and veggie scraps daily, or at least when I have them. I do have leaves in the yard I could toss in. I try to keep pine straw down in the run to help protect it from getting to muddy, but I’m sure I could make a leaf pile in the run. I’ll have to look around and see what I can find to jazz it up.

That all sounds great! You could try planting your herbs in pots and putting chicken wire around the pot to keep the chickens away from the herbs. That way, you can have herbs in the run but the ladies won’t be able to get to them. I’m considering planting a run garden this year just for the ladies since they love to help me in my garden, except for theirs I won’t get mad when they dig up all the veggies haha

 

[gothicpicasso]

That all sounds great! You could try planting your herbs in pots and putting chicken wire around the pot to keep the chickens away from the herbs. That way, you can have herbs in the run but the ladies won’t be able to get to them. I’m considering planting a run garden this year just for the ladies since they love to help me in my garden, except for theirs I won’t get mad when they dig up all the veggies haha

Yeah I have a green box I made once the rocks didn’t work. It hasn’t worked either. I think the issue is I put to much dirt in it so even covered with half inch hardware cloth they can get to the base of the herbs. I’m gonna try digging out some of the dirt and putting in new herbs again. It’s hard to plant it with all of the “help” I get. Hopefully the third time will be the charm. I’ve been thinking about run “clutter” and was wondering if they would like a “dog house” like a small to medium pot, turned upside down, that had a large round opening in it they could hide in. Or if they would enjoy tunnels or the like. Also figure I need to add some additional roosting areas to give more vertical space. They don’t use the swing yet. I’ve tried putting one on it and she freaked out even with me holding it so it wouldn’t move.