Hens roosting in trees

[Gaufron]

Hi! Welcome to BYC!

I would figure out how to keep them out of the trees. Perhaps clip their wings? I had two chickens who slept in an apple tree, when I first had chickens. Even in the rain and snow, they preferred the tree to their coop. Then one morning a golden eagle plucked one right off the tree. The other one never went up there again, and I would never allow it again.

 

[Compost King]

I had chickens that figured they would roost some place I could not get to, but that's ok a raccoon could get there, no more chicken. Welcome to BYC and enjoy chasing chickens out of trees, I know I did quite a few times. How to stop them? I just kept grabbing them every night until they went further up the tree or started going in the coop. I lost one to a raccoon (assumed Raccoon) and the rest started going into the coop at night.

 

[Gaufron]

Luckily in the U.K. Golden Eagles are scarce But I am reluctant to clip wings because being able to fly may keep them out of reach of chickens. My worry is more weather as winter is on its way

 

[Gaufron]

Luckily in the U.K. Golden Eagles are scarce But I am reluctant to clip wings because being able to fly may keep them out of reach of chickens. My worry is more weather as winter is on its way

 

[Gaufron]

Sorry out of reach of Foxes!

 

[Compost King]

Sorry out of reach of Foxes!

Yeah foxes aren't climbers so they are likely safe from them. You know your predators better than the rest of us. One trick that i have used to keep chickens in the correct coop... I would put a cage in the coop (rooster jail! but works with homing hens too) and keep the chicken that isn't roosting in the correct coop in that cage for a few days with food and water. When I let them out they start roosting in the correct coop.. Usually.

 

[Gaufron]

Its so difficult! they are just getting brave enough to explore the outside world, I'm just don't want to confine them again. I just hope that when the weather becomes wintery they will go into the coops.

 

[sourland]

Welcome to BYC. Are Great Horned Owls a UK predator ? They have been the greatest killer of my tree roosting birds.

 

[drumstick diva]

Sour thanks for warning folks about them. I didn't even know we have owls in our suburb. But one day walked I found two dead ones near each other. Each was headless.
Don't know if another predator did that OR if some weird cult did. I walked a great distance and found some odd deaths among the road kills.

 

[Shadrach]

Hello Gaufron.
Welcome to BYC.
Is there a rooster in your flock? If there is where does he roost?
You write that your run has been fox proof for a decade. If you decide to let them roost in the trees I would also want an electric fence of some sort outside the outermost fence.
The damp in the UK rather than low temperatures would be my only health concern. It freezes for a few weeks here in the winter but it tends to be dry with good sunshine during the day. The chickens here were fine at -9 centigrade roosting in the trees.
I've had fully free range here (don't roost in coops) and not lost a chicken. We have foxes but they are shy compared to even semi rural foxes in the UK in general. We also have various other climbing night predators.
If it was me I would let those that want to roost in the trees get on with it given you've installed the electric fence and believe the outer perimeter is secure.
If you free range you have to accept there will be deaths and injuries from predators. It doesn't really matter after that if it happens in the day or night.
I believe that it is healthier for chickens to roost in tree.
You can put a stop to tree roosting with some effort. I have pro bantam tree huggers here and they've will come down at dusk and go into their coops with a bit of encouragement.
I have a 'device' for picking them out of the trees and a method to go with it. If you are interested in this then tag me or reply in this thread.