Grumpy ladies

[BowCHICKawowwow2]

My chickens are 20 weeks. The last couple of days I notice them pecking each other. One must feel so sad because she doesn't even want to go in the coop at night. I have found her trying to sleep on top of the run and in an apple tree. What can I do?

 

[MarkJr]

Figure why she’s not being allowed in, or doesn’t want in the coop.

How many chickens, how big is the coop? Also, what do you have for ventilation

 

[Vickischics]

Please send pictures of your set up.

 

[BowCHICKawowwow2]

Figure why she’s not being allowed in, or doesn’t want in the coop.

How many chickens, how big is the coop? Also, what do you have for ventilation

I have 7 20 week old chickens and 5 10week old chickens in a 4x8 coop. 1 8 foot roost and 1 3 foot roost. Ventilation is good. Between the roof and the walls around the whole coop is vented with hardware cloth, plus there is a 3x4 window on the front.

 

[BowCHICKawowwow2]

Please send pictures of your set up.

Here is the coop run and ventilation.

 

[BowCHICKawowwow2]

Here is the coop run and ventilation. View attachment 2344847View attachment 2344846View attachment 2344847

The one of the roost is when we were first building. There is a bigger 2x4 that goes the whole length and this smaller one in case they prefer the rounded branch.

 

[aart]

Looks like the run is 4x8 and the actual coop(enclosed part) is only 4x4?
Really only room for 4 birds.....so crowding is making them crabby.
So neither run nor coop is big enough for 12 birds, let alone integrating youngers birds.
Did you get them all at the same time or....?

One must feel so sad because she doesn't even want to go in the coop at night.

One of the younger birds?

 

[Vickischics]

Your set up looks nice.
Logistically you have 25 chickens at various ages trying to establish their pecking order.
A coop recommendation is 4-5 sq ft per bird inside. So you would need 100 or better yet 125 sq ft inside the coop and a recommended outside run is 10 sq ft per bird for 250sq ft.
You have a 4x8 coop that equals 32sq ft.
Now, its not a requirement but, you can see the difference in space for 25 birds. When you have a low pecking order chicken she will be on the "outside looking in" and spacing for each is snug.
She's probably blocked from entering the coop and isn't allowed in, let alone squeezed onto an 8 foot roost with others of her age and size.
Hopefully, someone else with more insight will pipe in.
When the weather gets ugly or too cold it's likely no one will go outside and more problems will encur.

 

[Vickischics]

Your set up looks nice.
Logistically you have 25 chickens at various ages trying to establish their pecking order.
A coop recommendation is 4-5 sq ft per bird inside. So you would need 100 or better yet 125 sq ft inside the coop and a recommended outside run is 10 sq ft per bird for 250sq ft.
You have a 4x8 coop that equals 32sq ft.
Now, its not a requirement but, you can see the difference in space for 25 birds. When you have a low pecking order chicken she will be on the "outside looking in" and spacing for each is snug.
She's probably blocked from entering the coop and isn't allowed in, let alone squeezed onto an 8 foot roost with others of her age and size.
Hopefully, someone else with more insight will pipe in.
When the weather gets ugly or too cold it's likely no one will go outside and more problems will encur.

Correction. You have 12 chickens, not 25. Oops!
But, you still need 60 sq feet inside the coop and a run of 120 sq ft.
Coop and run are too small. Just like @aart stated.
Sorry, I worked two 12 hour night shifts and my math brain is slow this morning. Lol

 

[BowCHICKawowwow2]

Looks like the run is 4x8 and the actual coop(enclosed part) is only 4x4?
Really only room for 4 birds.....so crowding is making them crabby.
So neither run nor coop is big enough for 12 birds, let alone integrating youngers birds.
Did you get them all at the same time or....?

One of the younger birds?

No the coop is 4x8 and the run is 6x10. Pictures must be deceiving. No I didt get them at the same time but the younger ones were in a separate cage inside the coop so they would get use to each other. The cage for the younger ones had their own food and water and a little hole so they could get out if they wanted but the older ones couldn't get in. But thank you for your comment.