Do they know something I don't?

[Wolfpacker]

Usually my pullets come flying out of their coop each morning when I open the door. But one morning last week, they would not come out, even when I fed them. They cowered in the corner and eventually, when they did come out, spent most of the day hiding under the coop. This morning, they did the same thing, cowering in the corner of the coop. They act the way they acted when they were attacked on that Friday 13th.

Do you think something is trying to get to them during the night and is scaring them or is this normal for 12 week old pullets getting used to the world?

 

[speckledhen]

It certainly does sound like they've been spooked by something. Let them do what makes them feel safe and eventually, they'll return to normal, that is, if whatever spooked them is gone.

 

[Wolfpacker]

Thanks Spec.

They remained skittish all day. When I let them out to free-range, they didn't want to leave the run. When they finally did, they stayed under the bushes the entire time and I had a hard time getting them to come out and go back in their run at dusk.

This morning, they seemed to be normal again and flew out immediately upon my opening the coop.

 

[Southern28Chick]

wolfpacker,
Do you work from home? Do you let them free range all day?

 

[eggcetra_farms]

They definately sound spooked. I wonder what's trying to get at them?

 

[FamilyOfChickens]

Have you seen any hawks around?

 

[SpottedCrow]

Hiding under things usually means a hawk's around. Be very careful because YOU won't see him until he's on the ground.

 

[Southern28Chick]

It just might be a hawk. wolfpacker lives about 20-30 minutes away from me and I have had crazy things with hawks happening to me. One flew into my house trying to get my cockatiel whos cage is at the window, one tried to pick up my cat and just sunday one flew right in front of my face, about 5 feet from me.

 

[Wolfpacker]

I work in downtown Raleigh and live about 5 minutes from my house. We usually go home for lunch and I can check on them. They stay in their run unless I am in the yard with them. Their run is covered by hardware cloth.

We DO have hawks. One tried to get them when they were smaller and in their little tractor. It swooped down right in front of me, realized there was chicken wire on top of their tractor, and swooped back up to the top of my house. It sat there and stared down at us until a crow chased us away.

I've seen a hawk circling VERY high, heard a hawk in the trees a few houses away, and saw a hawk take a bird out of my backyard a couple of years ago.

 

[Royicus]

I subscribe to the school of "animals are more in tune with their surroundings then you are." I know if the chickens are spooked, I always start looking for something dangerous to them.