Chicken Sleeping Outside

I have 1 chicken who started sleeping outside on the ramp. They have a coop and run and during the day we let them out to wander around the backyard. One of my Leg Horns started sleeping on the ramp... Before both my Leg Horns would sleep together in the door way and the other 3 would sleep inside on the roost. I figured they were keeping watch? One Leghorn went broody so she is always in the box and the other doesn't sleep in the door way but on the top of the ramp by the door.

Is it normal? Should I be worried of her getting sick? She can't get eaten because its fully enclosed. I have 3 roosts and 5 chickens so I'm sure that is enough for them.

This is my first time owning chickens and they are about 6 months old and all laying. One just went broody 2 days ago so I just learned how to break that. I saw something about putting a light on inside the coop for at night but will they sleep or just mess around all night? She seems to be fine, eating, drinking and her egg laying is the same. Maybe she just prefers to sleep outside?

It might be too crowded for her or maybe they are picking on her. Are there any windows inside the coop? If nothing can get her if she sleeps out there, I guess if she were mine I wouldn't worry too much about it. She shouldn't get sick just from sleeping outside.

First how old are your chickens?

She usually doesn't get picked on. She can actually be a bully sometimes. I thought maybe cause her buddy isn't with her "guarding" the entrance she is sad. Kidding. We used to lock them in but since they are already in a fully enclosed run, we stopped doing that. They always put themselves to bed. Or did until she decided to sleep outside...

My chickens will be 6 months old on the 9th of this month.

Then pick her up and put her on the roost at night. Sleeping on the ground for a chicken is a bad habit. That is why roosters call their girls up to roost. My rooster will literally go out into the run and chase the girls inside for the night. What do you have on your coop and run? Chicken wire or hardware cloth?

Just a bad habit she is starting....Can you lock them all in just before dark and let them back out in the morning? I would try that first...

No rooster here. The area I am in does not allow roosters. The coop roof is wood and the run roof is chicken wire and some sort of mesh/cloth.

I can lock them in at night and let them out in the morning if you think that might help. Of course tonight when I checked on them she was inside with her head resting on the doorway looking out. It is also a lot cooler than it has been lately.

Just keep in mInd chicken wire is not predator proof in any way. Coons will be able to get into anything that isn't latched well with hardware cloth over openings. They can wipe out an entire flock in a night. I would seriously consider picking her up and putting her to roost until she does it herself and start locking them up at night. But that's just me.

4x4Runner said:

No rooster here. The area I am in does not allow roosters. The coop roof is wood and the run roof is chicken wire and some sort of mesh/cloth.


I can lock them in at night and let them out in the morning if you think that might help. Of course tonight when I checked on them she was inside with her head resting on the doorway looking out. It is also a lot cooler than it has been lately.

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AmandaMBG said:

Just keep in mInd chicken wire is not predator proof in any way. Coons will be able to get into anything that isn't latched well with hardware cloth over openings. They can wipe out an entire flock in a night. I would seriously consider picking her up and putting her to roost until she does it herself and start locking them up at night. But that's just me.

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Sorry, its not chicken wire but metal fencing. I thought I had a picture of it on my computer but I don't. We really don't have raccoons where we live. I know it sounds weird but they just aren't around. I think it may be cause we have 2 large dogs and feral cats everywhere and they seem to stay away.

Okay. As long as you feel comfortable with it. They do tend to stay away from dogs. Cats not so much but just smelling the dogs will keep them away.

4x4Runner said:

Sorry, its not chicken wire but metal fencing. I thought I had a picture of it on my computer but I don't. We really don't have raccoons where we live. I know it sounds weird but they just aren't around. I think it may be cause we have 2 large dogs and feral cats everywhere and they seem to stay away.

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