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Are they the only birds in the coop?All four of my 8-week (or so) birds are now roosting on the roof of the coop rather than going inside. They are upset when I put them in the coop, flying around and trying to get out through the hardware cloth covered windows. I have a low roost in the coop. I could put something higher up for now, but it will be too close to the windows when the weather gets colder. I have read that you should lock new birds in the coop for 5 days when you first put them out so that they will go into the coop at night. It has been so hot here that I don't want to lock them in. Is the roosting at the highest possible spot (roof of the coop) just the behavior I have to expect from Icelandics? I'd love to leave them out overnight, but I only have the bottom half of the dog kennel reinforced with hardware cloth. They move onto my hand when I put it under them, so it's not too hard to move them inside. I just feel bad when I hear them flying around inside. I know they're not happy. Any advice?
Yes, I just have the 4 chicks. One of the chicks (the last to be caught tonight) actually put her head through the chicken wire, which worried me. Definitely an animal on the chicken wire "roof" could trap the chicks. I'm wondering if I should try to predator proof the pen, but I know that is much more difficult than securing a coop.Are they the only birds in the coop?
In the picture above, you have chicken wire above the coop. How far above the coop is it? If a raccoon was to walk on it, would it sag/sink down to the level of the chicks?