Chickens On Roof

[catsandpoultry]

All three, or sometimes only two, of my 15-week Golden Comet Pullets will sit on the roof of their coop at night instead of going inside, even if it is very dark outside. When I try to put them in the coop, they fluff up and squawk. Thy don't jump up on the roost, like they used to before, they just stand there. I have heard that this is a sign they will start to lay soon, but this might just be an old wive's tale. Any advice as to what and why?

 

[write2caroline]

They are squawking because chickens cannot see at night and it is scary for them. I would keep putting them in the coop. They feel safer up higher which may be why they are going to the roof but they will be vulnerable to owls and other predators. I had a few that wanted to be in the trees.

Eventually, they will figure out.

Caroline

 

[drumstick diva]

if you have a night light on timer for them at dusk, they should enter the coop and roost for the night. The timer need be on only twenty minutes or so- till they settle. Chickens will not move in the dark outside or once they are on their roost.

 

[Teri Metcalf]

Greetings from College Station, Texas. Good luck on enticing them inside at night. I thought we had ours well-trained to go into their henhouse at dusk, and then we would lock them in for the night and let them back out in the morning. Gradually they all defected to the rooster next door and now sleep piled up on top of an old coop that leans against a garage. Altogether there are about a dozen of them that sleep that way exposed to the elements and night critters (one rooster and 11 hens). Fortunately they still use our nice safe little hen house to lay eggs in the daytime. Go figure.

 

[sumi]

Welcome to BYC

Glad you joined us!

 

[catsandpoultry]

Thank you everyone!

 

[micah O]

Welcome to BYC hope to see you round

 

[liz9910]

Welcome to BYC! You might try keeping them confined to the coop/run until they start sleeping inside the coop, good luck to you.

 

[catsandpoultry]

Ok!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC!

Happy you joined!