I have 3 nearly 3 year old hens who stay in their coop at night and in the protected run area all day, they are only free-ranged in our fenced yard when I’m around. Hawk issues. I let them out when I get home from work and they go back in at dusk, or at least they used to.
Since the beginning of the year, I have found them in their coop when I get home, ALWAYS used to be in their run begging to get out and explore the yard. Now when they come out they run and hide under the closest bush, then run to the next etc, never more than a stone’s throw from the coop. They are clearly anxious and acting very odd. I’ve seen no evidence of hawks when they act like this, but I did find one hawk tormenting them in late November by pacing outside their run. The worst part is once they are out “free-ranging” they are refusing to go back in their coop at night. Crawling under bushes is getting old.
They all appear very healthy, but 1 is having an extended molt and a 2nd finished molting and has started again, stress I believe. They also don’t seem to be eating as much this last week or two, although I haven’t changed feed (20% All Flock).
Thoughts about what’s going on? I can’t watch them when I’m at work to see if the hawks are hanging around, but my neighbor says he doesn’t hear them (they scream at the hawks). Is this going to be their new normal, they’ll swelter in the coop in the summer!
Since the beginning of the year, I have found them in their coop when I get home, ALWAYS used to be in their run begging to get out and explore the yard. Now when they come out they run and hide under the closest bush, then run to the next etc, never more than a stone’s throw from the coop. They are clearly anxious and acting very odd. I’ve seen no evidence of hawks when they act like this, but I did find one hawk tormenting them in late November by pacing outside their run. The worst part is once they are out “free-ranging” they are refusing to go back in their coop at night. Crawling under bushes is getting old.
They all appear very healthy, but 1 is having an extended molt and a 2nd finished molting and has started again, stress I believe. They also don’t seem to be eating as much this last week or two, although I haven’t changed feed (20% All Flock).
Thoughts about what’s going on? I can’t watch them when I’m at work to see if the hawks are hanging around, but my neighbor says he doesn’t hear them (they scream at the hawks). Is this going to be their new normal, they’ll swelter in the coop in the summer!
