Change you help the pecking order? 1 chick is getting isolated...

[Aunt_Nancy]

All my chickens seem to get along, and are happy...at least I think so. Recently I notice one getting "pecked" on, but thankfully not injured. I have a large coop, enclosed with a 1/2 open door, so they can constantly come in or out. For the last 2 nights one of the chicks has been sleeping on the outside roost, solo. I have 9 chicks total. Why is she all alone?

Another quick question while I have your attention and this may have something to do with the above problem.... In all the books I read, it said put the roost 2' above ground, and nothing below, since they poop at night. Thus I put the nesting boxes above the roost (hind site they should have been the same height). Problem is now they want to sleep/poop in the nesting boxes. So 2 nights ago I blocked off the nesting boxes so they couldn't get up there to sleep, and thus are snoozing on the roosts...like they are suppose to. When I take the barrier off the nesting boxes (4 weeks?...not expecting eggs until Sept or so), will they naturally go back to wanting to sleep in them? Unfortunately the coop is built so I can't put the nesting boxes at the same height...do I let them lay/poop in the high boxes or should I get a pet carrier box for the ground? Bummer as my cute little doors for easy egg access won't work.... Live and learn.

Thanks for the comments! Cheers, Nancy

 

[SkyWarrior]

Your chick is probably getting a breather from being around the others. If she isn't hurt, then don't worry about it. Someone has to be at the bottom of the pecking order.

As for the boxes

. I keep mine ground level and my chicks like to sleep in there too. The negative side is that they poop in them, but at least the nests are visited.

 

[Koolaid]

My husband and I just bought 7 chickens about 6 months old...1 rooster 6 hens. One of the hens has only 1 eye. The others peck her, but they don't seem to hurt her and she stays alone most of the day in the coop while the others are out in the run. Maybe she's just the bottom of the pecking order and wants to be alone?

 

[Pequena Bandada]

Your roost needs to be the highest thing in the coop (well, rafters can be higher, of course). So either relocate the nest boxes or yes, they will roost up there when you uncover the boxes. Next boxes on the floor are fine, or you could put them 12" up on a different side of the coop so they're not under the roosts. And nest boxes don't have to be fancy... you can use an old dresser with the drawers pulled out and little partitions inserted, or an old wooden crate.