Chickens won't go outside...

[omalin]

But what about them pecking each other.

 

[omalin]

What about them pecking each other?

 

[machuni]

What about them pecking each other?

If they're pecking each other, it usually means they're nutrient deficient or don't have enough space. How many chickens do you have per square foot?

 

[jenifry]

Not only coop size but age and chicken breed as well, are all your birds the same age, and what breed? In my research I have found you should have, as a bare minimum, 2 square feet per bird, and that's if they only use the coop for sleeping. It is more ideal to have 4 square feet per bird an at least a linear foot of roost space for each chicken. Are they all relatively close in age, or do you have some that are significantly smaller? and if they are a meat-bird breed, I would expect some vigorous pecking, as they can kill each other if too confined and not enough of the right feed. Also, I have been told that when it is extremely cold, chickens need a higher protein diet, make sure you are feeding something with a high protein content or giving them meat scraps.

 

[jenifry]

Also: check for mites or lice. Chickens are more likely to get them when confined, and they WILL to peck them off each other. I have found the best way to check for lice is to flip them over and check around their vent and the base of their tail feathers.

 

[omalin]

Same age got them last spring. All barred rocks

 

[omalin]

PC acting up sorry

 

[GrandmaKatnip]

I have a new problem with my chickens not going outside and I am wondering if anyone can help me. They used to roam our farm as freely as they wanted to. This week they stopped coming out, except for a short time in the morning. There are two factors that I am wondering could have caused this behavior change.
1. We had visitors on our farm who (unfortunately) allowed their children to chase our chickens around the yard. By the time I was able to stop them, it had gone on for about 1/2 hour. Could this have frightened them inside?
2. We have 'gnats' in Minnesota right now. It is a challenge for any of us to spend much time outside, due to the nasty gnats. Could this have caused them to retreat to their coop?

Thanks for any thoughts.