Another sleeping in the run question

Chuckie chicken

Chicken Chucker
Feb 26, 2021
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My Coop
My Coop
Our hens ahve been here for three weeks now. Until 2 nights ago, they all went into the coop at night to roost, since then, 2 or 3 have decided to roost in the run.

In the coop they have 7.5 feet of roost for 8 hens, about 2 feet more than they use. There is one boost hen, so the others give her space and roost at the other end of the coop. They seem comfortable enough. Ventilation is adequate, the inside and outside roosts are similar in height, I haven't measured, but if there's a difference, it's minimal.

Politics doesn't seem to be the driving factor, the lowest girl in the pecking order goes in the coop, and no one is blocking the door or being overly aggressive once they're inside, so I'm guessing it's just a preference.

It's spring here and temperatures are around freezing at night. The run is covered and sheltered from most wind, and is fully covered with ½" hardware cloth, so
I'm not worried about weather or predators at all, I've never closed the pop door into the coop at night.

I'm not worried about them sleeping in the run now, my question is:
Should I allow this habit to form throughout the spring, summer and into the fall? Come November and December they will have to go into the coop to roost, I'm wondering if I should try to nip this in the bud, or just let it slide?
 
Make them go into the coop or put them there yourself if it's too dark by the time you find them there. Better not to let this turn into a habit that will be harder to break later.

They don't need water and food inside the coop if the pop door is open. I doubt it will make a difference where food and water is if they've just decided to sleep outside. And you certainly don't need to clean the coop daily. If you have the right system, the coop can be perfectly fine for the chickens with much less frequent cleanings. I clean my coop twice a year and everybody's happy.
 
I want mine sleeping inside the coop but that's because my run isn't predator proof. If you feel yours is safe, then that's up to you.

You mentioned ventilation is "adequate, how much ventilation do you have? How well lit is it at dusk (either via natural light or artificial light)? Photos of the inside & outside of the coop may help us assess the layout too in case there's room for improvement.
 
Here is a link to photos of the coop and run.
The scoop on a Rubbermaid Big Max coop

The scoop on a Rubbermaid Big Max coop

My wife has talked about getting chickens for eggs for some time. After over 30 years of marriage, I understand that means I'm getting chickens! (And I'm ok with that)😆 In preparation, I've been lurking on BYC for a couple of weeks, soaking up information and getting ready for 8 RIR pullets in...
. If anyone has any suggestions, please share them.

Ventilation is right at 1 sq ft per bird. I'm actually planning to add a cupola before winter in case I need to cover some of the existing openings to keep snow out. That modification should maintain the quantity of ventilation, while improving the quality.

It's very dark inside the coop, we're in the country without neighbors nearby or street lights. There is a string of very soft lights along the outside of the run, that give the run a soft glow for a few hours starting at dusk. There is also a motion light mounted on our shop. The motion light will light up the area outside the coop and run if triggered. Lately I've been adjusting it because it was staying on after getting triggerrd, so it's a bit darker now than it has been previously. 🤔

The coop is cleaned every day, I have poop boards with stall refresher on them, and the pop door is always open, so there is hardly ever poop on the floor. I currently use 4"-5" coffee husks and pine shavings as bedding, it actually still smells pretty good. The girls poop on the boards all night, then get up and go into the run and poop some more first thing in the morning. I let them free range for the day starting around 9 or 10am, so I actually clean inside the coop and run every day since it takes very little time.

As far as safety from predators, I'm not concerned. Everything is buttoned up tight. I have a trail cam that picks up cats, skunks and coons that are passing by at night on their way to our compost pile. I regularly check for signs of attempts to get in, so far none.

Just wondering if I should allow the habit of camping outside to form or will I regret it come winter?

Thanks!
 
I bet you’re chickens will go inside the coop again if they find it too cold in the run in winter. I wouldn’t worry about that.

My concern would be the cleaning. In the run If you have no poop board.

If you make in window and even more ventilation in the coop the chickens might prefer to roost there. They go where they like it best if you let them choose.

Another possibility why they prefer outside can be parasites like red mite. Check in the night wit a torch to see if there are any.
 
Removing the roost in the run for a week or so may encourage them to go in the coop.

Personally, if the run is secure, I would chose another battle to fight and let them sleep where they want. If there is a reason they don't want to be in the coop, such as bullying, mites, ventilation, etc., I would fix it, but since you've already investigated potential issues, I would leave them be.
 
you said your run and coop are predator safe, it might be safe for the big ones but what about snakes and mice? Is there any chance that they are being bothered by mice at night? I tend to agree with you, it might me their preference, however it is good to cover all the angles.
 
you said your run and coop are predator safe, it might be safe for the big ones but what about snakes and mice? Is there any chance that they are being bothered by mice at night? I tend to agree with you, it might me their preference, however it is good to cover all the angles.
Honestly, I don't think there's a hole big enough for even a mouse. Every gap is covered with ½" hardware cloth.
 

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