Hello! I am new to this forum and I live in the UK

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Sheila66

Sheila66

Hatching
6 Years
Aug 13, 2013
7
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7
I have just posted a query, in one of the health emergencies forum, but repeat it below, in the hope that somebody out there will know the answer to my problem!
I had 2 mature Welsummers and then acquired 3 in-lay Warrens. They were kept in adjacent, very nice pens and houses for a few days, before merging them into one small flock. Before the merger they had all slept in their chicken houses and for a few days after the merger, they put themselves to bed all together in one house - as one would expect. Then the trouble started! We had a period of very hot weather and since then they absolutely refuse to go into the house at dusk, sleeping outside in the run. This is still the case, despite the fact that the weather is now cooler. Now I know you are thinking "red-mite"! However I am convinced this is not the problem because prior to the chickens being put in the house, it had been left empty since last September, had been emptied and disinfected 4 months ago and then left empty until this new lot of chickens were put in there. So I am at a loss to know what to do or what is the cause of the strange behaviour. My husband and I have to go out each evening at dusk and catch them and put them to bed, but I do not fancy doing that much longer. However, once it gets cold, they will be very miserable if they stay outside. Any ideas what can be the problem? Or ideas on what I can do to persuade them to use the chicken house?
 
Welcome from across the pond, Sheila66, and
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! Great to have you aboard! Sorry to hear your birds are being stubborn. Odd that since it's cooler they won't go into the coop. One thing you could try would be to feed them sparingly in the morning so they are good and hungry toward bed time and then put some food in the coop. They might go in, eat, and hope right up on the roost.
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Good luck to you!
 
Thanks for the words of advice but I already tried that - they simply go in and take the treats and come out again!
 
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sounds like a chicken mutiny. Could there be another reason they won't go into the coop? Maybe rats or mice at night, or a snake hiding. I wonder if keeping them in coop 2 or 3 days might reinforce that's where they should be. Chickens don't have the best of memories, so maybe they will think it is their idea to go back inside at dusk.
 
redsoxs said:
Welcome from across the pond, Sheila66, and
welcome-byc.gif
! Great to have you aboard! Sorry to hear your birds are being stubborn. Odd that since it's cooler they won't go into the coop. One thing you could try would be to feed them sparingly in the morning so they are good and hungry toward bed time and then put some food in the coop. They might go in, eat, and hope right up on the roost.
idunno.gif
Good luck to you!
Click to expand...
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From Scotland! Enjoy the site!
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, hope they behave!
 
Hello! I don't think there is any vermin lurking in the chicken house - I cleared out all the bedding a few days ago and put in fresh. We have had a rat problem but I think it is under control now - I hope so considering the number of kgs of rat bait I have dished out in various places around our premises! I can't keep them shut in the house because it has no windows, so they would be in the dark. I am going to acquire a couple of cuckoo marrans in the next few weeks and I am pondering how to introduce them to the flock. If I am not careful they will pick up the bad habit of the others. That is unless the new ladies turn out to be very assertive and lead the others into the house at night. This is unlikely though, as being new, I imagine they will be low in the pecking order, at least at the beginning.
Had to put them all away again tonight, despite having thrown all sorts of goodies into the chicken house earlier in the evening, which they were quite happy to go in and retrieve - but then came out again!
 

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