Chickens won't go in the coop

[jessyjo]

recently my rooster was attacked by a neighborhood dog and now my chickens are all out of sorts. Constantly cackling and worried and now they will not sleep in the coop. They go in there to lay and eat and come right back out. I completely cleaned out the coop and put new stuff in but still they seem fearful. Any suggestions? It makes me so sad

 

[duluthralphie]

Hi. welcome to BYC..

Might I suggest you leave a light on in the coop until well after dark.

Losing a rooster is traumatic to the girls.... At the risk of being jumped on as a chauvinistic pig...Girls are dumb..

They go about their day eating and not paying much attention to their surroundings.. The rooster is their master....(oh but if we were all chickens )...

He watches them eat, watches for predators, gives his life if he has to, to make his hens safe. He finds food for them...He is their brain..

When he is gone, and there has not been time for a hen to step up into the rooster role, they are lost..

A light in the coop will be comforting to them and it will not be as scary as entering a dark coop..

Good luck,,,,BTW I wish my birds went to bed like good little birds...I always have one or two groups that fight bedtime...

 

[jessyjo]

first let me say welcome wish you could have joined happy but understand totally did the cockerel live

Yes but very shortly "disappeared"

 

[jessyjo]

I don't think a predator got him I think he wondered off and died, but I can't find him anywhere

 

[jessyjo]

No, I am sure it was a dog. He was ok for a few days then disappeared. He seemed sore at first but then ok. He was not old, maybe a few years. Not attacked in the coop. (Unless a completely different incident that I didn't see happened, but I didn't see or hear or hear anything) they are free range but have always gone in the coop for the night.

 

[jessyjo]

I really do understand that see when I took my cockerel to auction my girls
were ready to be alone again but layed larger amounts of egg since as in saying thank you but they saw me take him.. you may have two separate events one in the coop one out of it with the cockerel may I ask are you able to post a picture of your coop in and out ?

Yes but not tonight. It's already dark.

 

[pennyJo1960]

if you would like to meet more that love our birds and worry about things check out your state thread

 

[jessyjo]

I will be here all day, so I will let them out. Again, thank you!

 

[jessyjo]

Again they have gone back to the trees for the night. I will try a light, any specific kind?

 

[pennyJo1960]

first let me say welcome wish you could have joined happy but understand totally did the cockerel live