Hen won't roost

[NicolleJean]

Hey all-

I have 4 beautiful hens in a decent sized coop. The outside yard area has a high roost for when they want to hang out outside, and inside the coop by their nesting boxes there is one as well for nighttime. Every night 3 of my girls are perched happily inside waiting to be locked up safe for the night. My one lady is always roosting outside waiting for us, and we have to place her inside. Then she either lays in a nesting box or hops up with the other girls. They all get along well- in fact the one that isnt going in is the top hen. Is there any reason for this? I am nervous to leave her outside as we leave alongside the woods. Thoughts? Suggestions? Coop is cleaned regularly so I don't think it is too stinky for her

 

[cavemanrich]

Remove or disable the outside roost temporarily and see what happens. Another idea is to lower the outside roost so it is just a foot or 2 off the ground. Chickens LUV high roosts. BTW, inside any coop , the top chickens always seem to take the highest roosts.
WISHING YOU BEST..

 

[NicolleJean]

Thanks, I'll give it a shot! She is definitely my bossiest, is first out of the coop, first to eat, first to all the treats. The other gals know to wait!

 

[bento]

Definitely remove the outside roost, giving her no other option. You can put it back once she learns to roost in the coop.

 

[aart]

Might be your coop is no 'decent' sized......what are feet by feet dimensions??
Length of roost too....and how's your ventilation??
Pics would help.

 

[ChickenMomma14]

She probably just doesn't want to go in... I have a Cochin bantam hen that doesn't like to go in either and have to do the exact same thing every night.
Don't worry about it, eventually she will get the memo that she has to go in every night.