campine has it's own mind

[brookwoodpat]

I have a golden and a silver campine pullet -- both are about 12 weeks old. Unlike the other fifteen chickens I have (RIR, Red Star, Black Star, Buff Orp) the silver campine is very troublesome in that she never wants to sleep in the coop. It is the silver campine that is the problem child, and leads the golden campine (and often the black stars and the buff) astray. It could be because it is the smallest of all my chickens and feels bullied in a group. But it has been going high up in a tree at night. I'm worried an owl will come along and get it. At first I was chivying it out of the tree iwth a rake, and taking it to the coop every night, but it is going higher and I am getting tired of the game. Should I let this silly chicken takes it's chances, or chivy it down? Is it's persistence in not sleeping in the coop a judgement on the coop? Not a palace enough? or is it just being a chicken pain in the butt? I really like this chicken - it has such a personality, but I am getting tired of the nightly battle. Advice please....

 

[Marlinchaser]

I had one guinea that decided to do that, on the second night of sleeping outside, I had one less guinea. Leave it out, and you will have no more worries about it going in at night. If you really want to save the campine, lock it in the coop for a couple of days, it may learn that home is the coop, or it may decide to fly higher next time.