Chickens stopped sleeping inside

[ChickenLady&aRooster]

Okay so looking for reasons to their craziness or help.

I have 3 older pullets and Martin who always slept in their coop with no issues.

We do now have 6 - 6 week old chicks who we have recently divided off a section of our run (its huge we expanded for them) so that they can all get used to each other since our older ones are a bit territorial.

Babies sleep in their coop every night and roost wonderfully (we started that at 3 weeks).

No one is trying to attack the babies though the fencing and they often hang out close to each other - so far so good.

Here's the problem - ever since we expanded the run and put the little ones outside I have noticed the older ones sleeping outside on a roosting bar all night (spotless coop) but still lay eggs inside. Don't know if taking the roosting bar down is smart or if they are doing it to look after the babies. Nights have only been down to the high 50's and low 60's so temperature isn't an issue at this point but if it continues could become one if I don't get them back in.

Our coop is well protected against predators and the issue isn't mites.

Grateful for any advice

 

[Ridgerunner]

That’s kind of a strange one, I haven’t seen anything like that behavior. Usually it’s chickens lower in the pecking order moving outside because the higher ranking ones are so brutal to them when they are settling down to sleep. You may experience that kind of stuff when you integrate those chicks, they probably won’t roost with the adults until they mature enough to force their way into the pecking order. For my pullets that’s normally when they start to lay. Until then they rank lower than the mature chickens and the older may remind them, especially when they are settling in to sleep. That’s all normal. I have a juvenile roost, lower than the main roost, horizontally separated, and higher than the nests to give the young ones a safe place to sleep that is not my nests. It gets used a lot.

It’s possible the rooster has moved outside to watch over the chicks and the hens moved with him. Many roosters ignore young chicks but some do take care of them. A good rooster takes care of all members of his flock until the cockerels get old enough to be a challenge to his dominance. He may have included those chicks in his flock. Most dominant roosters do that with young chicks, accept them into the flock.

It’s possible something you did when you expanded the run caused them to move outside. I’m not sure what that could have been since you did not say you modified the coop. Their birdbrains don’t always process logic quite the way ours does so many things are possible. Is that run perch new?

It’s possible something scared them when they were roosting inside so they have moved outside. Who knows what that could have been? Maybe I have seen that before when an owl walked into a secondary coop where I had chicks and killed one. I was late locking it up that night. They moved themselves to the main coop. It did not have to be a predator though. Even if you were watching when it happened it may have been something you’d have no idea would scare them.

I don’t know where you live so I have no idea of your climate or how cold it may get this winter. If it were me I’d take down that perch in the run and move them back inside. It may or may not be necessary due to your climate but it won’t hurt. It will probably make you feel better and that has value. Chickens should not cause stress and it sounds like this may be bothering you, worrying about winter.

 

[ChickenLady&aRooster]

Thanks for the info, we actually thought the same with our rooster, Martin is very protective and helpful. Will round everyone up when its time to come in from wondering the pastures and watches my every move with the chicks.

We are in South Carolina but can have some freezing temperatures in Jan and Feb so that concerns me.

It is true can never know whats going on in their little minds.

 

[aart]

Welcome to BYC!

Interesting situation!

Could be the cock/erel is watching over 'his' new birds.
Hopefully for protection reasons rather than breach of territory reasons.
How old is the cock/erel?

Is roost in run higher than roost in coop?
If so, lowering run roost might move them inside.
Would be an interesting 'experiment'.

I wouldn't worry about cold in SC.
As long as coop is dry and free of literally feather ruffling drafts near roost area, they'll be fine. Don't make the mistake of closing off coop ventilation in an effort to keep them 'warmer'.


FYI.....semantics, maybe, but can be important communication terms when discussing chicken behavior.
Female chickens are called pullets until one year of age, then they are called hens.
Male chickens are called cockerels until one year of age, then they are called cocks(or cockbirds or roosters).
Age in weeks or months is also a good thing to note.

 

[ChickenLady&aRooster]

Hi all thanks for the input but we realized what the issue was.

With the sun setting a bit earlier and their coop in a different spot, was moved a bit in the expansion - my bad, so they couldn't find their way inside. Last night we put a light on they went all in and then we shut it worked great. Guess that's what happens when birds are used to staying out a little later with long summer days.

We were concerned about heating the coop since we are from up north especially in colder months but as of now we are just going to wait and see how it goes but heaters are already on hand if needed.

Edit:: Our older Pullets are between 7 and 8 months, Martin, my sweet man is a bit older closer to a year although still a cockerel himself has completely proved himself as a great protector over his flock, watching them always. We refer to our chicks as babies or chicks because they seem to be a mixed bunch of pullets and cockerels.

 

[TexasSam]

I have also heard that they will do this if there are bugs biting them in the night. Hopefully this isn't what is wrong but worth a look see

 

[ChickenLady&aRooster]

I have also heard that they will do this if there are bugs biting them in the night. Hopefully this isn't what is wrong but worth a look see

That is the only thing we knew wasn't the issue - happy about that heard it can be hard to handle.

 

[aart]

With the sun setting a bit earlier and their coop in a different spot, was moved a bit in the expansion - my bad, so they couldn't find their way inside. Last night we put a light on they went all in and then we shut it worked great.

HA!! How far had it been moved?
Glad they found their way.

 

[lazy gardener]

Trust me... you don't need heat in S.C. My birds in zone 4.5 go all winter with windows cracked open unless temps are below 0*F, or there is a blowing blizzard. They come out to play in their "sun room" any time the temp is above 15*F. Giving them heat in the winter is actually counter productive.

I use a heated dog bowl in the coop b/c temps can remain below 0*F for days and sometimes a week or better at a time. ONLY give them supplemental heat when temps go below 0*F and stay there for multiple days, and even then, only if they are demonstrating signs of hypothermia: Decreased appetite, increased lethargy.

Providing plenty of ventilation (1 s.f./bird is recommended) year round without it producing a draft on roosting birds. Being sure coop is big enough (4 s.f./bird is recommended) so the excess moisture from feces and respiration does not overwhelm the coop space. Both accommodations are key to keeping a healthy flock.

 

[ChickenLady&aRooster]

HA!! How far had it been moved?
Glad they found their way.

Not too far only a few feet but in the dark opening in the wrong place and being dark a little early for them. guess they got confused