Freshening up the Coop = Stubborn Chickens

[mcleveland]

It's been quite a while since I've posted, but I lurk from time to time

I have a new mixed flock of 17 (15 weeks old); my 3rd flock. I wanted to freshen up the coop today, so I put down more pine shavings and getting the nesting boxes cleaned out and ready for eggs soon. And I've got to say, this new flock is one of the most finicky/stubborn I've ever had. Anyway, I let them out into the run today and closed the chicken door while I worked in the coop to clean and freshen it up. I finished, opened the chicken door and they would NOT go back in! LOL. And that was way before lunch. And they are always in and out. Especially just after noon to roost a while.

So me and hubby made them go back in one by one right as it was getting dark; they were starting to huddle up in a corner of the run.

I have never experienced this with other flocks. I suppose their "odor" was covered up and that must have perturbed them quite a bit?

 

[sourland]

I doubt that it was the odor. The new bedding changed the appearance of their coop, and chickens (other birds too) hate change. I once changed the bedding in my pigeon lofts from ground corn cob to wood pellets. The pigeons refused to enter the loft and were roosting on the aviary tops. Much like you and your husband, I had to 'herd' them into the lofts.

 

[mcleveland]

Thanks for your reply! That would make sense as well.

 

[donrae]

I second the new bedding thought. I do deep litter, so my birds don't get really new shavings that often. I recently dumped two big bales in the big coop and you'd have thought I was some type of monster who destroyed the coop! Most of the birds in there are young, just at point, of lay, and the cockerel is also young. It took one of my mature hens coming in from the run to see what the fuss was all about (and there was a LOT of fuss!) and start scratching and dust bathing for the young birds to enter and get comfy.

 

[mcleveland]

Ah yes, we do deep liter too. We will clean it all out by the end of fall. But that's funny....your hen having to set them straight! I love it!!