Hen won't go to sleep

[Rooslover]

Hi folks,
There is one hen in my flock that behaves weird. Her name is Princessa, she seems more like a dog following me and running between my legs. She is a Red hen and a great layer. During the day she is fine with the flock, sticks with the group. At night, when all the hens go to sleep she won't. She will wait outside for me to pick her and place her on the roost. I tried to ignore her, thinking she would eventually get inside to sleep with the rest. She won't. She sticks outside in the dark, on cold winter nights waiting for me to come. Not once she went to sleep inside on her own. The moment i come, she jumps into my arms waiting to be placed on the stick. Is that normal? I cannot spend all my evenings putting one chicken to bed. What do i do?

 

[Debbie292d]

You could try putting a light on just inside the chicken door. We have a rechargeable lantern we use for this. It helps younger ones go into the coop, and maybe it'll entice her.

Is this a walk-in coop? If so, what if you were inside and called her, then leave.

 

[Crazy Chicken Keeper]

Hi folks,
There is one hen in my flock that behaves weird. Her name is Princessa, she seems more like a dog following me and running between my legs. She is a Red hen and a great layer. During the day she is fine with the flock, sticks with the group. At night, when all the hens go to sleep she won't. She will wait outside for me to pick her and place her on the roost. I tried to ignore her, thinking she would eventually get inside to sleep with the rest. She won't. She sticks outside in the dark, on cold winter nights waiting for me to come. Not once she went to sleep inside on her own. The moment i come, she jumps into my arms waiting to be placed on the stick. Is that normal? I cannot spend all my evenings putting one chicken to bed. What do i do?

Weird. That is weird. Never had anything like this, it is why I appreciate my chickens being not that tame. if you go out atnight to lock them in it may not be an inconvinience as you can put her away. Maybe lock her in the coop for a while so she gets used to it? That would be my go-to.

 

[Rooslover]

It's not a light issue. It's a walk-in coop. I tried to get inside and she would follow me and jump in my arms in the coop so that i place her on the roost. She never jumps onto the sticks. She jumps on me. Would spend the night out in the rain waiting for me. I really dont know what to do

 

[Crazy Chicken Keeper]

It's not a light issue. It's a walk-in coop. I tried to get inside and she would follow me and jump in my arms in the coop so that i place her on the roost. She never jumps onto the sticks. She jumps on me. Would spend the night out in the rain waiting for me. I really dont know what to do

Maybe keep her permantly in the coop or another coop. If it is really an inconvenience, try selling her. Unless she is special.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Is the coop inside (or connected to) a predator proof run? Is there a pop door from the run into the coop?

If so, leave the pop door unlocked (but the run locked, of course) and let her figure it out. It might well take several nights.

For what it’s worth, my older three choose to sleep on an open roost in the run. They have access to the coop.

 

[WingItRanch]

How high up are the roost bars? What type of chicken is she? She may be having trouble flying up to the roost. If so, you may have to lower one for her.