Chicken in roost won't leave

[ilikehorses2]

 

[seminolewind]

If she's not looking sick, it could be she's being bullied by someone.

 

[Dvg1025]

Thanks for all the help. I think it was being bullied because the two chickens that survived the dog attack seen to be dominating these two new chickens. I stayed out today and watched them do this so I am going to try and figure out a way to stop it.

 

[seminolewind]

Thanks for all the help. I think it was being bullied because the two chickens that survived the dog attack seen to be dominating these two new chickens. I stayed out today and watched them do this so I am going to try and figure out a way to stop it.

I've noticed sometimes if you take the bullies out of the flock for a week or two, their status drops. It may help.

 

[farmtotable]

Catching chickens is easiest if you can either "swoop" down on them from above, as one instinctual response to that type of attack is for them to kind of squat down on the ground and freeze. I've also had a lot of success in herding them into a corner, then grabbing them gently around the wings. Not by the wings, but basically cradling their chests with my hands. I've seen a product for sale called a "chicken hook", which I think works on the same principle as that tool lifeguards use to fish people out of a pool. Never used one, though. You can find it for sale on a lot of the online hatchery sites. The biggest thing is you don't want to chase them for too long, because then they start to fear you and it's really stressful for them. Did you buy your chickens as hens or raise them from chicks? I bet if you handled them everyday from the point they're like a day old or so you would be super comfortable handling them as adult birds!

Regarding the crop location, I suggest buying a really good beginner's chicken guide and read through it. I'm a visual person, so I needed to see it diagrammed out for me! There's also good basic knowledge articles on this site, so I would start there. Good luck!