i somehow acquired 2 runaways and i have questions. please help

[pollipazzi]

it was very warm today. the weather app said 17C (about 63F) but it seemed warmer. i just had the door open and not the window and it was just above 30C (86F) in the greenhouse. i opened the window and checked after a few minutes and it had gone a bit below 30C
maybe a little too warm.

i might do a test run on the next warm day and take out a couple of panels and see if there's a big difference.

 

[pollipazzi]

i left the terracotta pots in the nest boxes last night and built another roost. it was later than usual that i put them in and they were unusually calm. they checked it out but decided they would rather roost on top of the small run. they would be welcome to do that if it was safer but it is not. so i took the pots out (no fake eggs) and after some begging and pleading, they went in and slept in the nest boxes.
it was too chaotic of a day to try something new.
everybody is calm today and thelma isn't trying to sneak in there (yet)

 

[pollipazzi]

maybe it wasn’t broodiness. she might have been transforming into the incredible hulk. she just jumped louise and fought her for a snail and she wasn't backing down

otherwise normal?

 

[BDutch]

i left the terracotta pots in the nest boxes last night and built another roost. it was later than usual that i put them in and they were unusually calm. they checked it out but decided they would rather roost on top of the small run. they would be welcome to do that if it was safer but it is not. so i took the pots out (no fake eggs) and after some begging and pleading, they went in and slept in the nest boxes.
it was too chaotic of a day to try something new.
everybody is calm today and thelma isn't trying to sneak in there (yet)

After things calmed down. If you have a better roost now, I would try to put then on the roost after dark. Every evening for 2-3 weeks, until they understand.

 

[pollipazzi]

After things calmed down. If you have a better roost now, I would try to put then on the roost after dark. Every evening for 2-3 weeks, until they understand.

there's 2 problems for me to do that. they do not let me touch them, and i can't get into the gnome door to do it

 

[pollipazzi]

they aren’t wanting to go in the coop. (i did finally persuade them)

do you think it’s:
a. they miss the fake egg.
b. they do not like the new roost. it’s scary.
c. they are traumatised from yesterday.
d. all of the above

 

[BDutch]

there's 2 problems for me to do that. they do not let me touch them, and i can't get into the gnome door to do it

Dont you have a lid on the nest box?

Trust me if the girls are in the nestbox after dark, you can pick them up and put them on the roost. Just don’t hesitate.

 

[BDutch]

they aren’t wanting to go in the coop. (i did finally persuade them)

do you think it’s:
a. they miss the fake egg.
b. they do not like the new roost. it’s scary.
c. they are traumatised from yesterday.
d. all of the above

Yes.
I think they dont like the small coop.
If you interfere too much they might get traumatised.

Thats why I said, after things calm down.
I suppose its better to make a big coop /run from the old greenhouse, move them asap.

Add a simple roost with a poop board or a chicken ladder and something you can use for nestbox, like a cat litter box, your current coop or an old cabinet or just a simple cardboard box with a hole on the side. Chickens like clutter and plants too.

Search the web - diy.

 

[pollipazzi]

Dont you have a lid on the nest box?

Trust me if the girls are in the nestbox after dark, you can pick them up and put them on the roost. Just don’t hesitate.

there's a lid on the nest box that is very hard to open because the window sill sort of hits it when i open it. it was a stupid place to put the thing. i wish i did things a lot differently. hindsight, right?

they have been going in the coop all this time and i didn't even have to ask! it was just the crazy day and last night. but i don't think the new roost is great either.

i have an idea but i really want to think it through so i don't have another "polytunnel,lots of bad ideas, should have done this before that" situations.

i took the weed barrier out of the old greenhouse today and when the new greenhouse is done (i am getting in so much trouble because i am SO distracted by this! lol!) i can put most of the pots and stuff in there.
i want to have everything ready to go fast (including hwc, etc) before i move or reconstruct the coop because i will have to get it done for them to use it.

i was looking at it today and i think i can make it a whole lot taller and put a real proper roost in it when its out of that tight space and i can get the roof off.
if i move the nest boxes to the bottom, i can use the hole where that was for a bigger gnome door.
i think i know what to do. i am pretty ok at building stuff.

today they seem very content

 

[pollipazzi]

they've been in there most of the day by choice