Chickens roosting outside coop

[hiussxme]

Ive had 3 chickens for about 6 months and they all used to go inside the coop at night to roost. Lately most nights 1-3 of them will be on a fence post instead of in the coop. Some nights all 3 of them will go into the coop, some nights all of them will be on the funce post or some comnbination thereof.

How do I get all of them going into the coop everynight. Ive read everywhere that they always go to the same spot to roost but mine seem to go randomly to the coop or fence post.

Any ideas?

 

[centrarchid]

Notice pattern with respect to weather?

 

[hiussxme]

Nope, Ive not been able to see any pattern. Weather has been pretty consitantly dry and warm lately.

They all go into the coop to lay, drink and eat. Not sure if that matters...

they were actually on a different fence post tonight adjacent to the one they have been using. 2 on fence post, 1 in coop.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I would go out there after dark when they are sleeping and gently grab the couple off the fence, go inside and set them on the roost, and close the door of the coop for about 3 days (make sure they have food and water!) This should help to "re-train" them to sleep back inside the coop.

Hope this helps!

 

[hiussxme]

I do that every night! Has been about a month of me putting any errant chickens back in the coop once they have settled on a fence post.

Is it worth locking them in there 24 hours for a couple days? It seems like they know where there 'home' is though. They will be so mad at me if i don't let them out for a few days, they get so demanding in the morning!

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Try increasing ventilation of coop. Likely they are becoming too hot. My birds shift roost to avoid heat. Also finding some shift roost to avoid mosquitos that go after them over night. Problem is mosquitos follow.

 

[hiussxme]

It does get a little hot around the coop during the day, but I live in San Diego so it cools off pretty quickly at night. Could it be that the heat during the day would make them not want to go in there at night even though they still lay eggs in there?

Im so confused by my crazy chickens!

 

[centrarchid]

Quote:
Possibly, my birds consider conditions at time they go to roost, not what they will be like as night progresses. They do not think ahead.

Confusion will not end soon. I am still learning despite many years of observations.

 

[WhiteMountainsRanch]

I think it will be worth it to just lock them in a few days. When I have to move mine around between pens and coops that what I do, I've had a few try to sleep on the fence and as soon as they got locked in for a few days they were fine. Just make sure it is comfy (ventilation) in there for them.

 

[MareeZoCool]

I had that problem with my chickens.

Then we discovered a racoon was terrorizing them. We built a new coop, everyone is happily going home to roost at sundown.