Hens staying in run at night - freezing cold, why?!

[Lustylibrarian]

With the light changing I would check your door settings first like others have said. Also if you have changed anything recently they may be reacting to a change in routine etc. We have had some staying out recently after we have enforced the no free ranging rule after some local cases of bird flu in local water fowl. The change in routine seems to have really upset them and it’s taken a few days to get everyone settled back in again to their bedtime schedule.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

With the light changing I would check your door settings first like others have said. Also if you have changed anything recently they may be reacting to a change in routine etc. We have had some staying out recently after we have enforced the no free ranging rule after some local cases of bird flu in local water fowl. The change in routine seems to have really upset them and it’s taken a few days to get everyone settled back in again to their bedtime schedule.

door is set via time, not light. I change it often all year as the sunsets fluctuate, so that should be ok. The weird thing is - no changes at all to their coop/setup! Only thing I’ve done is added a little more hemp bedding to their coop for the cold snaps over the last month. One has started laying again as of a week ago, that’s only noticeable change in antyhinig. I’m stumped and hope it’s not pests!

 

[aart]

what is the best way to check for red mites when it’s this cold out? wet towel wiped across roost to check for blood spots? and check their vents? I’m in south-eastern Ontario, Canada.

My Bug Check notes:
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Look fast, they will scatter quickly once the feathers are parted and the light hits them.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

My Bug Check notes:
Have you checked them over real well for mites and/or lice?

Google images of lice/mites and their eggs before the inspection so you'll know what you're looking for.

Part the feathers right down to the skin around vent, head/neck and under wings.

Best done well after dark with a strong flashlight/headlight, easier to 'catch' bird and also to check for the mites that live in structure and only come out at night to feed off roosting birds.

Look fast, they will scatter quickly once the feathers are parted and the light hits them.

Wipe a white paper towel along the underside of roost to look for red smears(smashed well fed mites).

Good post about mite ID by Lady McCamley:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-chicken-has-mites-now-what.1273674/page-2#post-20483008

thank you kindly. i will do this!

 

[BDutch]

Can you please post pictures of your setup?
Have you check the coop (and the hens) thoroughly for red poultry mites?

Maybe there is something in the coop that scares them or annoys them. But red poultry mites are not active when its freezing cold. They get a little active if the temp in the coop rises above 4°C .

Maybe rats? Something coming from underneath?

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Okay so I went out and wiped under the roost - nothing. Looked in between their feathers near vent, all looks good. I adjusted the door to close even later, so I will see if they wander in tonight. It’s really cold out there so I won’t let them sleep in the run if they don’t head in by dark.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Maybe there is something in the coop that scares them or annoys them. But red poultry mites are not active when its freezing cold. They get a little active if the temp in the coop rises above 4°C .

Maybe rats? Something coming from underneath?

the coop is raised up a couple feet and is 100% predator proofed with hardware mesh on any openings. I check the structure with a daily walk around, even in winter. Checked for bugs, nothing so far. I do wonder if maybe at night something peeked into their window beside their roost? Or the neighbours porch light is bothering them shining into the coop (although I don’t think it would that much as the roof is angled away, so no window on that side.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Can you please post pictures of your setup?
Have you check the coop (and the hens) thoroughly for red poultry mites?

Here is th set up today. The plastic on the run sides blew down in a storm so I was stapling it back up after this photo was taken. Note - the coop access door is open in the pic as I was checking in there for mites etc. that’s usually closed of course. You can see the coop is raised up and the attached run spans about 12 feet out (more than half not pictured). Coop is 16sf, not including nest box. Two birds in this set up. There is open ventilation at the front rafters and along the non wind side (about 3sf, ventilation right now above their roosts, more in summer when wind guards taken down)

as my other post - yes checked for mites this afternoon and no sign of them.

 

[aart]

checked for mites this afternoon

Need to check for roost mites after dark.

 

[littlecoopnextdoor]

Need to check for roost mites after dark.

ah okay. i did a swipe of the roost bar today and checked their feathers/skin. I can do a night look too.