Chickens started roosting outside coop

[lagrange chicks]

Need to watch out for owls at night.

 

[PaisleyChickMama]

This is not safe at all. Most night time marauders climb and quite well. The birds may have been safe so far, but eventually they will be found and picked off one by one. Winter is about to pounce on us all, they should not be exposed to the elements. They are like to turn up with frostbitten feet and combs.

Something is keeping them out of the coop, I suspect the Ducks may be deterring the chickens from entering. Ducks really need their own quarters, different poultry species have different requirements.

For now you will need to supervise roosting time each night. Get the chickens in first up and roosting, then the Ducks snuggled in.

Thank you this is great advice

 

[PaisleyChickMama]

Need to watch out for owls at night.

I didn't think about owls!

 

[PoppasGrill]

Will you post a picture of your coop.?Maybe someone will notice if there is a possible issue.
We had an issue with a few girls that stopped going into the coop, but not all. Turned out to be a bully rooster.

 

[PaisleyChickMama]

Will you post a picture of your coop.?Maybe someone will notice if there is a possible issue.
We had an issue with a few girls that stopped going into the coop, but not all. Turned out to be a bully rooster.

He is a bully rooster, I believe he’s even mounting the ducks due to missing feather at the back of their necks. He’s also turned aggressive towards us, we will be eating him once we get a replacement rooster. I don’t have a picture of the inside but here’s our funny looking scrap coop it’s about 8x8

 

[Yardmom]

They might be feeling a bit cramped with the ducks in there too. Have you had any luck getting them to head in early to roost in the coop? Hopefully you can change their habit back to going to the coop at night

 

[PaisleyChickMama]

they’ve been going in early since it started snowing sometimes they even stay in the coop during the day. I think once the leaves come back in the tree they might stop roosting there

 

[LaFleche]

What kind of ventilation does your coop have?

And how many ducks (females only?) do you house in there?

As already mentioned, chickens don't do well being in the same coop as ducks, they can't stand the amount of humidity brought in by the ducks.

 

[PaisleyChickMama]

What kind of ventilation does your coop have?

And how many ducks (females only?) do you house in there?

As already mentioned, chickens don't do well being in the same coop as ducks, they can't stand the amount of humidity brought in by the ducks.

Pretty good ventilation, there’s gaps all the way around the coop along the top from the pallets that I covered with wire, there’s also a window and some holes in the coop here and there and the back door is left open all day. Six ducks one of the six is a drake but he’s very docile he’s a runner duck. And two hens and a rooster.

 

[PaisleyChickMama]

They’re allowed to free range on an acre. It’s primarily a duck coopbut there’s three chickens. I put roosting bars in there for the chickens so they don’t have to stay on the ground and I’m in the process of turning an old rabbit hutch into a small chicken coop. Unfortunately it’s been snowing a lot so I haven’t had time to finish it, also have a one year old daughter that I have to keep from danger constantly