Chickens only come out at dusk

[President_ChickenGirl]

My Seramas only come out of their coop at dusk and just sit in their coop door the rest of the day. Why is this?

 

[sourland]

It almost sounds as if there is a predator in the area threatening them during the day.

 

[President_ChickenGirl]

It almost sounds as if there is a predator in the area threatening them during the day.

There actually isn’t- they are safe and we almost never get predators in our area- if we do, they are nocturnal. Once they are outside they are perfectly happy. They have done this since we got them as well.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

Could you show us photos of your coop and run? Maybe we'll see something that might explain it.

 

[MTKitty]

My flock does something similar. They pile out in the mornings when I open up. They hang out as long as I’m there. Within ten minutes of leaving the yard, they’re under shrubs, under the coop, or inside.

Any time I go out, they will join me. Only a few of them have begun venturing to the edges of the yard in the day. About an hour before sunset, the whole flock comes out to graze and scratch.

I chalk it up to age (~ 10 weeks) and their rhythm. We do, otoh, have hawks around here.

 

[President_ChickenGirl]

Welcome to BYC.

Could you show us photos of your coop and run? Maybe we'll see something that might explain it.

Sure! It is an a-frame chicken tractor. The coop is above where the ladder leads to. The ladder has shingles on it to keep them from slipping. They use the ladder when they come out and seem perfectly okay with it.

 

[President_ChickenGirl]

Sure! It is an a-frame chicken tractor. The coop is above where the ladder leads to. The ladder has shingles on it to keep them from slipping. They use the ladder when they come out and seem perfectly okay with it.

Also, here is the inside of the coop if that will help.

 

[3KillerBs]

Sure! It is an a-frame chicken tractor. The coop is above where the ladder leads to. The ladder has shingles on it to keep them from slipping. They use the ladder when they come out and seem perfectly okay with it.

So it's a bare, open rectangle without any "clutter"?

They may be afraid of the open space where they have no way to hide from danger.

"Clutter" -- things that break up the space and offer both physical and visual shelter -- is important for both flock dynamics and giving the chickens a more natural environment. They're creatures of the forest floor, not the open grasslands.

 

[All4Eggz]

All I could think of is that they feel unsafe outside the coop. It might be for a certain reason.

I think @3KillerBs has a great point ^^^

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

I agree with the above. My grown chickens are usually hanging around the perimeter of things, under bushes or the porch or grapevines. I think its an instinct to keep them safe from birds of prey.