Can’t get Mia back in coop!

[4Crazychickens4me]

ok so I adopted 4 girls at the end of November. We hurried up and built a coop and run for them and they have been in it since the 2nd week of December. I didn’t let them out because we have had a cold winter. So it was nice nice out today and is suppose to be nice for over a week low 20s and night in the 50 during the day. Anyway they were so happy to be back out running but when I went out to give them treat to get back into the coop Mia decided she was gonna roost in the pine trees at the neighbors who I got them from. This is where they would roost up until I copped them in December. I’m feeling bad that the other 3 are in the coop and she’s by herself. I tried a few times and nope she wasn’t going in. Am I a bad chicken parent?

 

[21hens-incharge]

Is it dark yet where you are?

If not once it is dark you may be able to grab her where she roosted if its not to high.

Pine trees are tough. If its dark and you cannot reach her you may have to wait til morning to try and lure her back.

 

[BYCforlife]

Chickens really like a high place to roost. If there's a higher roost than the one in the coop, they will probably prefer it.
You're not a bad chicken parent, your hen just isn't used to roosting in the coop. My hen roosted on the roof of my coop until I locked her inside for a little while.

 

[4Crazychickens4me]

Ya she’s up high in the pine tree. This is where they would roost before I cooked them up since the first week of December. We are in western Pennsylvania and we’re suppose to have decent weather for a couple weeks hopefully longer. I just feel bad because the other 3 are in the coop and she’s not.

 

[Chickassan]

Not a bad chicken parent at all! Chickens are habitual and she's doing what she remembers and its really high up so she feels safe. She'll get with the program eventually. One unpopular solution is getting a rooster, they help gather the hens at roost time. The rooster dosent even have to be big the ladies will follow a pee wee,it's a mental thing.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

I've had chickens get up into the trees at night before. What I do is throw up a ball to spook the hen down. That usually works if I can get the ball high enough.
I just had to get rid of some retired hens last fall. One of them was a Buff Comet named Mia.

 

[4Crazychickens4me]

Well Mia spent the last two nights alone in the pine trees. Last night rained all night so I thought oh tonight she will wanna be in coop. Wrong! All 4 of them went up in the pine tree tonight. I guess they like it up there.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Time to break out the big fish landing net and hunt them down during the day.

You may end up having to keep them cooped up in the coop and run in order to keep them at all.

Goofy birds!

 

[4Crazychickens4me]

I've had chickens get up into the trees at night before. What I do is throw up a ball to spook the hen down. That usually works if I can get the ball high enough.
I just had to get rid of some retired hens last fall. One of them was a Buff Comet named Mia.

Ok I have to ask you had to get rid of them why?

 

[4Crazychickens4me]

Time to break out the big fish landing net and hunt them down during the day.

You may end up having to keep them cooped up in the coop and run in order to keep them at all.

Goofy birds!

They have been cooped up for the last three months with the cold weather but before that they free ranged and they would sleep in the pines all spring and summer They just wanna run free