Coop at night

[TerriChad2020]

So I've got a question for some of y'all that are a little more experienced as chicken parents. I had gotten 3 gold laced sebright bantam hens and 3 youth chickens last spring. I found 2 of my youth chickens were roosters and had found them a new home. I can and have visited them and they are being well cared for. My youth hen is such a sweet girl. I hadn't put all the girls in the coop immediately when we got them, so I have 2 bantams that I've never been able to get in at night, 1 bantam that after putting her in a couple nights started going in on her own every night. Then my other chicken who had always gone in started having me pick her up and put her in every night. She's been ok with this until recently. She has been laying eggs since September and just recently the bantams have all started laying. I have one that has laid her eggs in the cat shelter and every couple days they have changed a nesting box to lay in... three one bantam that goes on on her own sleeps in one of the nesting boxes. Could this be why my other been is not wanting to go in the coop with her anymore? The coop is clean and when they are out foraging they always return to the pen between 4 &5 everyday. I'm also thinking that maybe they all think the pen is their coop. & the coop is only for laying eggs. By 5pm they are all on top the coop except for the one who sleeps inside on her own. I go in once the sun has gone down and put the other chicken inside and close the coop up. Last night she was not happy about it and today she really was unhappy about it but I can see she is already settling down as I'm closing the door. I have let her stay out a couple of really nice nights. The pen is partially covered from the elements so where they stay on the roof of the coop they are covered. Should I just let them stay out? The 2 bantams have been all along. Oh and the pen is completely safe from any predators it's like fort knox in their pen.

 

[bhaugh]

Do you have rodents or snakes? Although it seems most birds have rebellions, it could be they get visitors at night you don’t know about

 

[TerriChad2020]

Do you have rodents or snakes? Although it seems most birds have rebellions, it could be they get visitors at night you don’t know about

There's no way that snake or rodents could get into the pen. I have things in the ground all the way around so nothing can get under fencing. I've also got about 7 strays that dwell in my yard that I've had tnr'd so I've never seen anything make it too far into the yard itself before it would get snatched up by one of the strays. We also have a camera facing the pen which has a spot light so if anything gets close to the pen the spotlight comes on and startles it. So far it's been the cats passing it going to their shelter a couple deer and turkey. Haven't seen the deer or turkey on it in a while. Maybe I should put a camera into the coop... I was thinking too that maybe the inside of the coop may be too dark it has vents in the top but maybe it doesn't let enough light in?

 

[rosemarythyme]

I was thinking too that maybe the inside of the coop may be too dark it has vents in the top but maybe it doesn't let enough light in?

Can you get photos of the inside? How bright does it look to you at dusk, or on a cloudy day?

 

[TerriChad2020]

 

[TerriChad2020]

So this is the coop with both doors open and sitting an average day

 

[rosemarythyme]

I assume you want them inside the actual coop portion above the ramp? Yeah it looks extremely dark in there, and I don't see any ventilation other than the doors (unless you're saying you leave the doors open 24/7?)

If you're fine with them sleeping outside of the coop and feel it's safe enough, then there's no reason to force them inside, but that's up to you.

 

[TerriChad2020]

I assume you want them inside the actual coop portion above the ramp? Yeah it looks extremely dark in there, and I don't see any ventilation other than the doors (unless you're saying you leave the doors open 24/7?)

If you're fine with them sleeping outside of the coop and feel it's safe enough, then there's no reason to force them inside, but that's up to you.

Yeah there is actually vents in a few different areas of the coop but you can't see them in the picture they are in the back and blocked by the flag fabric. I haven't been forcing them in at night I have 1 that goes in on her own every other day without having to put her in and she'll stay in there with the doors open all night or closed. I've been just leaving them open since they do sleep on top but under the traps so protected from the weather and the run is like a fortress so nothing is getting in. I think I will need to put up something a little better than the tarps if they are gonna stay out next winter as well since they are starting to break. They will be done by next winter for sure. But yeah they are good out there right now.

 

[TerriChad2020]

Yeah there is actually vents in a few different areas of the coop but you can't see them in the picture they are in the back and blocked by the flag fabric. I haven't been forcing them in at night I have 1 that goes in on her own every other day without having to put her in and she'll stay in there with the doors open all night or closed. I've been just leaving them open since they do sleep on top but under the traps so protected from the weather and the run is like a fortress so nothing is getting in. I think I will need to put up something a little better than the tarps if they are gonna stay out next winter as well since they are starting to break. They will be done by next winter for sure. But yeah they are good out there right now.

They also free range outside of the pen when we are home and outside our close by to keep an eye on them. They love my yard altho my flower beds & sidewalks are not liking it

 

[neo71665]

That coop looks small for the amount of birds you have.