Hens Won’t Leave Coup This morning

[SOregonChicks]

Hello-
My 2 hens went into their coop 2 hours early yesterday - not to roost but just walking around, skittish, hiding. They roosted as usual, but this morning they didn’t want to come out. They got off their roost, but are just walking around in there, skittish. Both 4.5 years, a Wyandotte and Sex Link. They are moulting - not badly. Could this be the reason? They’ve not done this before.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

Hello-
My 2 hens went into their coop 2 hours early yesterday - not to roost but just walking around, skittish, hiding. They roosted as usual, but this morning they didn’t want to come out. They got off their roost, but are just walking around in there, skittish. Both 4.5 years, a Wyandotte and Sex Link. They are moulting - not badly. Could this be the reason? They’ve not done this before.

What had your weather been like? Overcast days can cause them to go in early and overcast and cold-rainy days can cause them to linger in the morning. If it rains, I guarantee you my birds spent the entire day pooping on my front porch and if it snows, you’ll see a single path leading from the coop to under the coop where they will stay for the entire day. Chickens may be hardy, but they still like pretty weather.

In my experience, predators don’t scare them into going to or staying in the coop, if that’s what you’re worried about.

 

[SOregonChicks]

What had your weather been like? Overcast days can cause them to go in early and overcast and cold-rainy days can cause them to linger in the morning. If it rains, I guarantee you my birds spent the entire day pooping on my front porch and if it snows, you’ll see a single path leading from the coop to under the coop where they will stay for the entire day. Chickens may be hardy, but they still like pretty weather.

In my experience, predators don’t scare them into going to or staying in the coop, if that’s what you’re worried about.

That is exactly what I was worried about! Thank you. Our weather has gotten colder/overcast in the past week - some rain. Yes, our girls spend most of the rainy winter on our covered porch too! It’s the poop porch They just haven’t stayed in the coop before just to hang out. They are healthy, but gettin older.

 

[3KillerBs]

Is it windy?

DH's farm-store shopping list for the day includes a few straw bales that I'm going to arrange in a + or a T so that they'll have a sheltered spot no matter which way the wind blows (here in central NC we can get storms from any direction).

 

[SOregonChicks]

Is it windy?

DH's farm-store shopping list for the day includes a few straw bales that I'm going to arrange in a + or a T so that they'll have a sheltered spot no matter which way the wind blows (here in central NC we can get storms from any direction).

Not windy here in Oregon yet. Our girls have the run of our pretty large backyard and we have lean2s for them plus lots of mature shrubs, trees. Thanks for the straw bales idea! We’ll FB some at grange!!