Dumb chickens?

Buffs 4ever

Hatching
May 18, 2015
9
0
9
Spring Creek, Nevada
Hello all! I'm new here, started my flock about 2 years ago. My wife recently purchased for me 6 Buffs and 2 Americana to add to my other 7 adults. I put them inside a small pen inside the adults larger pen to get familiar with the adults. After 2 weeks I let them out to mingle, now they would rather stand in the rain than go back in the protected pen. They also won't perch, they would rather huddle together on the ground.They are about 11 weeks old, should I be concerned? Planning on building a larger coop for them all if it would stop raining long enough.
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Hi there! I had a similar situation with a group of younger pullets not perching and staying outside the coop or in a pile. The older chickens were bullying them due to their age. Once I made a bunch more space (doubled the coop size) the younger ones started to come in at night & during rain. They still prefer to pile on the floor over perching, so I'm going to install a couple more bars of varying heights & see if they age into it. Good luck with your building project!
 
Hello!
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Welcome to BYC and the coop! There's a lot of great peeps here! Feel free to ask lots of questions. But most of all, make yourself at home. I'm so glad you decided to join the BYC family. I look forward to seeing you around BYC. :frow
Psucarrierae, gave you great information. I agree, bullying and being young are huge factors. Good luck with your girls and your new coop building.:)
 
They don't seem to be bullied by the older girls. The adults have a separate roost for now and the youngsters have what's in the pic all to themselves. I'm afraid they'll catch a cold, so tonight I gathered them up and locked them in for their own good.
 
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Then definitely try the different heights with the perches. Two of my Goldens liked to sleep in the nest boxes. They were not broody, they just like it. So I'd go out after it was dark and take them out and put them on the perch in the coop. After a while, they stopped. Maybe that might work here. Pick them up off the ground and put them on the perch. They won't be able to see to get down and they will learn to balance while sleeping. :idunno
 

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