He makes them sleep outside!

[AnaD]

My unwanted roo is being weird. We have just enclosed them in a run since our roo chased away our younger chickies and wont tolerate the ducklings. He is penned in with three pullets all 13-15 weeks old. Since we have put them in the run he likes to make sure they stay in their enclosed run area and only sometimes lets them out into the open run. At night I hear him bully the girls into the enclosed outside area to roost even when it is raining. I figure it must be the fact the the outside roost is much higher than the indoor roost. Do you think I should close off the outdoor area at night so they have to stay in the draftless and rainless coop at night?
Maybe if we just cull him now everything would just be better...I'm hesitant to harvest him because it will be my first time...but he is preventing us from having a harmonious backyard. Besides...isn't he too young for harvesting?

 

[Tala]

It looks like you should enclose them in the coop at night because of predators. A little rain won't hurt them, but predators can rip right through that chicken wire run.

 

[ScotianChick]

Get them inside for sure. Chicken wire is very easy to break. It's meant to keep chickens in and I think that's about it. When mine slept in their nest box instead of on their roost, I just moved them at night. Worked well for me

They learned.

 

[Chick Charm]

Yeah, put em in for a few nights just to get them in a routine. They will learn where you want them and then they will just do it themselves. HOPEFULLY! They do need the protection of a coop for many reasons. They may not know it just yet but they do.

 

[BayouPoules]

Quote:
I agree,.. chicken wire keeps chickens in,.. nothing out.

We just processed two trouble making roos,.. Wow,. it's sooo peaceful here now,..

 

[AnaD]

We don't have predators, to my knowledge, here in the middle of town. We have alert neighbor dogs and cats, but I will be sure to close them in at night from now on.

 

[Tala]

Quote:
raccoons are common in the city, they are used to getting trash from people all the time. I only had one bother me in the back yard (compared to many out in the sticks) but still, it only takes one!!

 

[Nigellas]

We don't have predators, to my knowledge, here in the middle of town. We have alert neighbor dogs and cats, but I will be sure to close them in at night from now on.

I live in the suburbs in a college town - We have raccoons, skunks, hawks and even a fox. Yes, really - a fox. We saw him with our own eyes one summer evening. Crazy! We've lost way too many hens figuring out how to make them safe. (Raccoons can even undo hook and eye locks. Evil things.)​

 

[annaraven]

Quote:
It only takes one stray dog or cat or one raccoon for you to lose your flock. Glad to hear you'll be locking them in at night in the future.