A chicken who likes to sleep on top of the coop...

[NancyS]

Our chicken (Snuggles) thinks it's much better to sleep on top of the coop at night instead of in it. The others put themselves to bed, but she gets on top. I have put chicken wire up there to discourage her, mostly because we had a cat visitor the other day. I think Snuggles pecked the cat because all we heard was a terrible cat YOWL, and my husband saw a cat run down the side of the coop. Snuggles wasn't even ruffled up at all. But I don't want to take any chances and she just sits on top of the chicken wire! Are there any suggestions on what I can put on top of my A frame coop to discourage her?

 

[CherryChick]

Im not really sure what you could put on top of your coop. But have you tried putting snuggles in the coop every night and closing it so she can't sneek up onto the top of the coop. It might take her a couple weeks to get the hint but usually that will correct the habit.

 

[GramaCindy]

It sounds to me like "Snuggles" has decided that she is the "watchdog"

 

[LiLRedCV]

There's also the "whomever roosts the highest is top chicken in the flock", so maybe she feels that since she's outside and on top she's the boss overall? We had a few that would do this. Two weeks locked in the coop day and night fixed it. They all now go inside like they should and fuss over the roosting bars.

 

[NancyS]

Thanks for the input! I do put her in the coop every night and she isn't a big fan of it. She's actually the smallest chicken and the one that gets picked on the most. Also the friendliest to our family. I wonder if they have selected her low hen on the totem pole and gave her the watchdog job?