Ever miss a chicken and leave him/her out all night?

[Suzie]

It happens to me on a regular basis... tonight I have 24 in the coop - normally it is 30..... I am amazed at the fact that so many of my chickens survive outside at night with the predators here - I always count my babies at night, checking where I can for certain chickens who should be there... I call for those who are absent ... to no avail.. they always show up the next day.... despite the predators - thankfully they are always there in the mornings!

Suzie

 

[3chimama]

I always count to make sure they are all in before locking the door...it helps that I only have eight to count! ;D

 

[ams3651]

I do it all the time but only because that chicken wont go in, in the case of the adolescents or because one particular hen likes to get out. They will sleep in the snowball bush right next to the coop. I dont really have any predators that will bother them so I dont worry about it. Im going out in a few minutes actually to let in the stragglers.

 

[cejunes]

I have two different pairs of birds that stick together and don't always like to come in at night. My Polish get up in the tree to roost and don't want to come in (they do this about once a week) and my OEGB pair get on the roof and roost. I just keep hoping that nothing decides they look like a good midnight snack. So far so good. They don't do it all the time but I really don't like it when the do.

 

[JustDawn]

I did it once last year and poor Omelet tried so hard to get into her coop with her siblings. She scratched and scratched at the fencing and ended up cutting one of her toes. I had to keep it clean until it healed. It was so sad. Now I go in every night and give everyone a petting, do a head count, and say good night!.

 

[StupidBird]

How did DS (age 19) miss a full grown BR in a 5x10 tractor? the door to the coop/hutch part gets closed and barred at night, DS did it that night. In the morning, I go to let them out and set in the feed and crammed at the top of the ramp up against the door is Sweetie (named in a fit of sarcasm) all dew damp and complaining. How he missed a full grown hen in that we'll never know.