Another "our chickens are boycotting the coop" thread

[Mike521]

Hi all,

Our girls were hatched last July and just started laying in the last couple of weeks. At the same time, they've all started sporadically refusing to go in the coop at night. Usually at least 3 (out of our 6) don't go in. Tonight it was a full 100% mutiny.

We haven't changed the coop or the bedding, the only change is that we opened up the nest boxes. Our coop is small, maybe 4 x 5 feet, maybe they think the whole thing is for nesting only?

I've been putting them back in every evening, but I'm losing the war here.. We also tried setting the automatic door to stay open longer, thinking it was closing too soon now because the days had gotten longer, but no luck..

Should I just stay persistent and keep putting them in every night? This has become a real battle of wills

 

[Shadrach]

Hi all,

Our girls were hatched last July and just started laying in the last couple of weeks. At the same time, they've all started sporadically refusing to go in the coop at night. Usually at least 3 (out of our 6) don't go in. Tonight it was a full 100% mutiny.

We haven't changed the coop or the bedding, the only change is that we opened up the nest boxes. Our coop is small, maybe 4 x 5 feet, maybe they think the whole thing is for nesting only?

I've been putting them back in every evening, but I'm losing the war here.. We also tried setting the automatic door to stay open longer, thinking it was closing too soon now because the days had gotten longer, but no luck..

Should I just stay persistent and keep putting them in every night? This has become a real battle of wills

If they are not going into the coop, where are they roosting?
A few pictures of your coop and run might be helpfull.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

How tall is the coop versus where they're roosting? I know some coops doesn't have high enough roosts so the chickens will roost outside if it's higher (and feels safer).
Does your chickens have any mites, scaly leg mites, or soft ticks? Sometimes external parasites like these can drive the chickens out of the coop.
Though you said nothings changed, has there been any predator attacks (or even spots for things like rats or mice to get in) that's happened in the coop? Sometimes the trauma of an attack will keep the birds out.

If there's space enough to do so, sometimes resetting them helps. Keep them locked in for two weeks so they get the habit of roosting in there instead of outside.

 

[Mike521]

Thanks all, I forgot that detail - they're crowding themselves atop the nesting box flap. I attached a pic that shows the coop in the background. That spot is slightly higher than the perches in the coop, which are maybe 4 inches above the coop floor. We're planning to replace it in the spring. It's so small and flimsy that it wouldn't be particularly feasible to move the roosting perches.. but in any case, they were fine with it all their life, why the rebellion now?

I don't think there are parasites, it's been below freezing for most of the past month, shouldn't that keep them away?

No predator attacks or attempts to speak of..

I also attached a cam-pic of the inside of the coop from the other night.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They look rather packed inside - does the 4x5 include nests or no?

Are those 2 windows open for ventilation and is there any other ventilation we're not seeing? Now that they're bigger and older they may be finding it too stuffy inside, too crowded...

I do have a question about:

We haven't changed the coop or the bedding

Did you mean you haven't changed the bedding at all, or haven't changed the material used (but have cleaned out the bedding)? If you haven't changed the bedding at all is there an odor of ammonia or any signs of moisture build up when you open up the coop?

 

[Mike521]

Haha I meant it's the same type of bedding - hemp I last did a full replace I think 2 or 3 weeks ago, and I've been raking the top layer off every few days. Even after full refresh of the bedding they kept going outside

There are 2 slider openings on the other side of the coop that are maybe 10 inches wide by 6 inches tall.. I have them both about 2/3 closed since we've had some cold and windy weather.. maybe I should open them? That's a thought, I did have them mostly open and then I closed them more a few weeks ago because of the cold.. Maybe they don't like it?

 

[Mike521]

Oh and the 4x5 is just a guess off the top of my head.. but yes I meant including the nest boxes.. I think the sleeping area is probably 3 feet wide by 5 feet long.. again just eyeballing it

 

[rosemarythyme]

So overall space could be an issue and lack of ventilation definitely sounds like an issue, since they're choosing to stay outside where airflow is ample.

How cold is it where you are, and if you leave those windows open, do prevailing winds/storms blow directly into there?

 

[aart]

I think the sleeping area is probably 3 feet wide by 5 feet long.. again just eyeballing it

Get your tape measure out
..and add more pics of the coop all around and inside and out.

 

[avjudge]

How cold is it where you are, and if you leave those windows open, do prevailing winds/storms blow directly into there?

I could be wrong, since I am just going off the picture, but those look like fixed, not openable windows.