And then there were none?

[JackieK318]

Tonight I come home to all of my chickens in the trees. They have never done this before, except the 'airhead' leghorns. I put a basket with two ping pong balls in their coop this morning. Could this be why? Do they think a predator is 'laying' in their house?

P.S. I did get everyone, even the airheads, safely in the coop. I had to shower after the ordeal, but everyone is home.

 

[serendipity22]

Do you think some animal could have scared them out of their usual roosting place?

 

[Smitty's Farm]

How did you finally get them out of the trees? Did they seem spooked to go into their coop?

 

[JackieK318]

They did seem spooked when I put them in. They're still in their small temporary coop, so I checked in it, under it and above it. I didn't see anything. I did round them all up. I had to get the hose and spray a leghorn to get her down. Everyone else was pretty easy to round up.

 

[ozark hen]

years ago a neighbor told me about finding hers that way due to a fox that she saw around the coop. She didn't know if the fox went into the coop or what but all her chickens were up in trees while the fox was there.

 

[mourninglory]

Sounds like they got lucky with a place to get away. That's great!

 

[JackieK318]

I did see a red tailed hawk (young) and an owl recently and I wouldn't doubt a fox or coyote.

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Hey Jackie,
Did you take the basket of ping pong balls out of the coop? Do your birds free range during the day and get locked up at night in the coop? Just wondering if they relaxed any this morning? I'm still working on my coop ironing out last min details ( or should I say my husband is....I'm just directing a little)

hope your birds are ok.

 

[MoonGoddess]

Until I got my hens into the pen they would ALL go into the trees. Especially near dusk. We used to have to shake the tree to get them down and put them back in the hen house! We now have a fully enclosed run for them. Chasing them out of the trees every night was no fun!

 

[Smitty's Farm]

Jackie,
hey! Just wanted to check and see how your birds are doing?

Kim