Chickens going ON the Coop Roof at dusk

[Joe33]

My juvenile chickens have been outdoors for 2 to 3 months and HAD quickly caught-on to the practice of them returning INTO the coop every evening at dusk and roosting there. I go lock them in around dusk. However, For about a week now, instead of going IN the coop at dusk, they go ON the coop and roost there. They give me a hard time when I try to catch them and put them inside where it's safe. Does anyone know why they would suddenly, and without any good reason that I'm aware of, change and want to stay on the roof at night?? I can't let them stay there b/c we've raccoons, owls, etc I've checked the coop interior too and there's no danger or anything different about it than there had been. Any ideas?

 

[sourland]

Is there any possibility that a predator is trying to get into the coop at night and frightening them?

 

[Joe33]

I guess there is that possibility, but I've seen no signs of that. Are you sugg. they want to be out/on-top so they can flee some predator?

 

[sourland]

If something is scratching at the coop, looking in windows, or making sounds outside the coop they may feel threatened. The other very real possibility s that they just want to sleep outside (not knowing that there are real dangers out there,)

 

[Joe33]

Thanks for the insight--Last night I found muddy raccoon footprints on the coop/window and their waterers tipped over and some digging which confirms your suspicion that the chicks Are apparently threatened at night. I've already begun steps to button-up their run (surrounding the coop) and keep the 'coons away. I hope they'll soon automatically go back to roost INside their nice secure coop. Thx.

 

[TNdeedoll]

My 4 RIR's began sleeping on the roof of their coop back in the summer when they were young and are still there. Their coop is inside a chain link enclosure covered in chicken wire so they are safe but I worry about them with winter coming. It was suggested to me that inside their coop was too hot to sleep in during the heat wave and it made sense. Now that it has been 3 months on the roof and getting cool at night I worry they have forgotten that they can sleep inside at night. They go in daily to lay in the nest boxes, yet sleep on the roof or outside perch they have. They get soaked when it rains so I hope they have better sense when it snows! They are now about 7 months old.
Any experience out there with this weird one?

 

[Chicks on DL]

After the possum attack we moved the coop closer to the house. We had the injured chicken in the house for a couple weeks until she was strong enough to go back outside. After awhile she started roosting on the top of the coop at dusk. Every night I would put her inside after the others were settled in because they would peck at her. After a few nights they all were sitting on the coop and every night I had to put all four inside to roost at night. This got old and I discovered that if they can't jump on the windowsill they can't get on the roof. So we moved the coop again. Only one could fly up there but after a couple nights the roosting on top of the coop ended. One of the hens got stressed out because we had to move the coop down a couple feet to accommodate the new pool a few days later. I think all the moving really stressed her out. Sometimes it takes awhile to figure out what works. If only we could read their minds.

 

[aprilc]

Good posts, I will be able to look for signs if this arises for us. Right I have a hard time getting them in the coop at since they want to stay out until the very last bit a sun sets.