Ok, I'm a newbie at raising chickens, and my 6 girls are now 14 weeks old. I have been observing them every night since they were moved to their coop/run, (when they were 7 weeks old). I watch their ritual every night from the kitchen window. This is what happens:
At around 8:10 p.m. ET the same SLW goes into the coop and then comes back out, only seconds later.
She then goes back into the coop a few minutes later, and is followed by one of the BS, then the other SLW, then a RIR, BS, and the last RIR goes in, but comes right back out.
The RIR makes a circuit of the run, goes back up the ramp and in the coop, comes out again, repeats the circuit of the run. She may do this one or two more times. The last time, she goes into the coop and stays.
I then go out to the coop and see what's happening on the inside. My findings are:
All 5 of the first birds are settling on the top roost bar. Usually in the same spot every night.
This last girl in the coop, is religated to the roost bar below.
This is an every night occurance, in the exact same process as above.
Is this an established routine that all flocks have - To be so orderly?
Are chickens creatures of habit like this?
Will one of the girls on the top roost bar (as it is a tight squeeze to get 5 girls up there now) eventually join the RIR on the bar below?
If not, do I have to worry about this one RIR in the winter (we are in CT)?
At around 8:10 p.m. ET the same SLW goes into the coop and then comes back out, only seconds later.
She then goes back into the coop a few minutes later, and is followed by one of the BS, then the other SLW, then a RIR, BS, and the last RIR goes in, but comes right back out.
The RIR makes a circuit of the run, goes back up the ramp and in the coop, comes out again, repeats the circuit of the run. She may do this one or two more times. The last time, she goes into the coop and stays.
I then go out to the coop and see what's happening on the inside. My findings are:
All 5 of the first birds are settling on the top roost bar. Usually in the same spot every night.
This last girl in the coop, is religated to the roost bar below.
This is an every night occurance, in the exact same process as above.
Is this an established routine that all flocks have - To be so orderly?
Are chickens creatures of habit like this?
Will one of the girls on the top roost bar (as it is a tight squeeze to get 5 girls up there now) eventually join the RIR on the bar below?
If not, do I have to worry about this one RIR in the winter (we are in CT)?
