Chickens Repeatably Won't Go Into Coop at Night

[ChicklingChickletsChick]

Hi! We are new here and we just made this account due to some chicken questions. Ever since they started living outside our chickens have been going upstairs in there coop at night when it gets dark. We have two hens and one rooster that are about 5 months. About a week or two ago our two hens started to not go upstairs when it gets dark outside, and they have been sitting on the roof of the coop. For a couple of days, the rooster would not join them and we would put them upstairs with him. They continued doing it and we kept putting them back upstairs until recently the rooster has joined them. We checked the coop to see if anything was in there, but we didn't see anything. And every night we put them back upstairs. Does anybody have any idea why they are doing this? Also, our rooster has been a little frisky lately sidestepping towards us and nipping us a little bit but it's not extreme. Do you think we are crossing his boundary if we are picking him up and putting him back in the coop? Is there any other suggestion on this topic and how to manage our flock well? Thank you ChicklingChickletsChick!

 

[sourland]

Before putting them back in the coop at night, run your hands along the roost to see if there are red mites there. Your cockerel is starting to feel 'cocky' now that his body is flooding with testosterone. Teen aged roosters can be worse than teen aged boys. Don't allow his actions to increase. Is your coop too hot or poorly ventilated?

 

[centrarchid]

Also check to make certain the area they roost in is not getting dark too quickly. It may not be dark enough outside to make them go to roost by time roost area to dark to see.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of your coop inside and out would help here. Possible reasons for coop not being used: too hot, too stuffy, too dark, too small, poor layout (i.e. roosts too close to walls), mites or other pests.

 

[neo71665]

Photos of your coop inside and out would help here. Possible reasons for coop not being used: too hot, too stuffy, too dark, too small, poor layout (i.e. roosts too close to walls), mites or other pests.

THIS^

 

[centrarchid]

Also, our rooster has been a little frisky lately sidestepping towards us and nipping us a little bit but it's not extreme. Do you think we are crossing his boundary if we are picking him up and putting him back in the coop? Is there any other suggestion on this topic and how to manage our flock well? Thank you ChicklingChickletsChick!

You may have an aggression issue building that may or may not be related to you handling him. Could you upload a video showing what is going on?

 

[ChicklingChickletsChick]

Here is a photo of the outside of our coop and the inside of our coop.
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Photos of your coop inside and out would help here. Possible reasons for coop not being used: too hot, too stuffy, too dark, too small, poor layout (i.e. roosts too close to walls), mites or other pests.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Here is a photo of the outside of our coop and the inside of our coop.
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No photo is attached. To attach a photo, click on the "frame with a mountain" icon on top of the reply window, to the left of the smiley face, and drag the photo from your computer onto the pop up window.

 

[ChicklingChickletsChick]

 

[ChicklingChickletsChick]

View attachment 2369865

View attachment 2369870View attachment 2369875
These are photos of our coop inside and out