developing bad habits.

[farmerKEN]

I leave my coop door open all day and usually get home from work after dark. My six chickens used to all be inside when I got home. But yesterday the pole propping the door fell and the door blew shut so one of my chickens improvised and flew up into a tree. Wouldnt be so bad if it wasnt downpouring out. After five minutes of searching I found her and coerced her off the tree and into the coop.
now today the door had a better "stay open" device. but the chicken in the tree last night was back up in it again. but higher.
I managed to get her in moments before the rain returned.
Im not looking to make this into a daily routine. I wont be home before dark for the next six days and dont really want to coop them in all day to reestablish where "home" is.

any suggestions?

 

[Mahonri]

I'm thinking you are going to have to coop her up for a few days... sorry.

 

[faykokoWV]

you could clip her wings so she can't fly up there again, but that may make her more vunerable to predators

 

[gritsar]

Lockdown is the only way I know to retrain their itty bitty brains.

 

[farmerKEN]

darn.

 

[farmerKEN]

well I had my dad make sure he'd put them all in before dark while I was at work. and he said when he went out there all six were inside already. which is good because some vicious raccoons came to visit that night. climbing in the tree the hen was in the two previous nights. but thats another story/nightmare.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
So glad you got them in lockdown before the coon paid a visit. Lockdown may seem cruel and the chickens may hate it, but it really is for their own good.

 

[farmerKEN]

well the raccoon actually yanked one of my roosters out through the chicken wire (ventilation opening). it came back three times. so it was a long night involving digging out scrap wood and screws at three in the morning.

 

[socks]

Quote:
bummer! I have a local coon helping me with my um...coon proofing as well

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Have you thought about switching from chicken wire to hardware cloth? Several different types of predators can reach thru chicken wire it seems.