Further adventures of Lucy and Lancelot (the roo formerly known as Guinevere)

[bjwil]

1. They mix fine with the existing older hens but will not voluntarily go into the coop to roost. I have to catch them and put them in the coop. Below freezing temps coming our way with deep snow so how do I help them figure this out? They've all been free range till this week; I've kept them in the run but still no dice. The aggressive roo that was terrorizing the run has been gone for a couple of months.
2. Lucy is nearly nine months old and still isn't laying. What gives?

 

[Callender Girl]

Is it possible that the now-gone, aggressive roo still lurks in their little chicken heads? Long after a mink killed all her coop mates, my Buff Orp still seemed traumatized. It took a long time for her to finally make friends with some of the girls in the other coops (Yeah, some people have too many chickens, I have too many coops, too. Because I had that luxury, I let her choose her new roommates, and all has been well ever since.)

Aside from the stress of the roo, maybe Lucy is coming into maturity just as the shorter days of light are telling her to hold off until spring?

Hope it all works out!

 

[Mrs. K]

You might try a light. Just a low level battery operated light inside the coop. For some chickens that will encourage them to go in.

Not knowing what you set up looks like, thinking of my own, but I do not catch my juveniles I herd them into the coop, making outside the coop less positive than inside the coop. I just take a stick, go to the farthest point away from the coop, then stretch out my arms, tap the ground and call "hut, hut" moving very slowly toward the coop.

You want to move just so the chicks step away from you, not chase, but just pressure them lightly to move toward the coop, very slowly reducing their comfort space, and they will choose to go into the coop.

Always in an issue like this, what are the dimensions of the coop. Is there truly enough room?

Mrs K

 

[aart]

Always in an issue like this, what are the dimensions of the coop. Is there truly enough room?

Ditto Dat.

Only the 2 pullets?