It's serendipity, we've been adopted for the 2nd time...

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Maple has voluntarily gone to sleep in the roost of her coop for three nights. (I put her in on Tuesday and Wednesday, this is Monday September 19th.). We have a very small coop and run, prefab by Trixie products. She's been in the cage for 7 days. How long before she can come out to play? She was sleeping in our california maple tree, which is starting to shed its leaves, I heard an owl last night. We want to be sure she will home on the cage roost, but she is bored and misses chasing around with our cat. I look forward to your ideas!
 
Will it really take weeks? She' been in the coop 8 days, the last four she has gone into the coop voluntarily. I heard an owl last night and we definately don't want her to revert to the tree. But it's a little coop, she misses chasing around with our cat, during the day...
 
Welcome to Backyard chickens!! If she is lonely, I would get one or two more hens, depending on the space you have. If she has gone up in the coop on her own the past four nights, I would say she has established that is her home. I hope you enjoy Backyard chickens and find it as helpful as I have!
 
Dear one, thank you for the response. Maple is an only chicken, she came to us, check out earlier stuff. I'm worried to bring in another, as the coop is so little. Also, she split from her original crew... Main concern is letting her out of the small coop, during the day. Will she have homed on the little coop now, after 4 days?
 
She's going to roost at about 3 p.m. (Which is early, it's not dark yet until 7ish.). Could she be broody? Can she come out to play now, its been 7 nights since she has voluntarily gone into the roost?
 
So I can't stand the "cage/coop," and decide to give her a try at liberty. We let her out for her first day, after five days in the coop, on Thursday. ;). She went outside, chased bugs, chased butterflies, had a ball with our cat. Evening, she looked at the coop, landed on it, made all signs, that she wanted to go... up. But could not figure it out. She did not identify her original branch in the maple tree, thank goodness. So at least she did not disappear up the tree. She kept looking up. No way to go down to coop, then up. Luckily, she still ate from my hand. I took on the roll of Magilla Gorilla, and hustled her back to the "cage, aka coop." Depressed, (both of us,) she slept most of Friday. She was brighter on Saturday, (the Giants beat San Diego,) but I see no reason to believe she will not have the same problem, 1, 2, or 3 weeks from now. My idea is a coop around a coop, ie. A bigger cage. Dang. Any suggestions?
 
Collbunny said:
So I can't stand the "cage/coop," and decide to give her a try at liberty. We let her out for her first day, after five days in the coop, on Thursday. ;). She went outside, chased bugs, chased butterflies, had a ball with our cat. Evening, she looked at the coop, landed on it, made all signs, that she wanted to go... up. But could not figure it out. She did not identify her original branch in the maple tree, thank goodness. So at least she did not disappear up the tree. She kept looking up. No way to go down to coop, then up. Luckily, she still ate from my hand. I took on the roll of Magilla Gorilla, and hustled her back to the "cage, aka coop." Depressed, (both of us,) she slept most of Friday. She was brighter on Saturday, (the Giants beat San Diego,) but I see no reason to believe she will not have the same problem, 1, 2, or 3 weeks from now. My idea is a coop around a coop, ie. A bigger cage. Dang. Any suggestions?
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Yup, sounds like a bigger run needs to be added. A great option for a decent sized but safe run is a chain link dog run, covered over with chicken wire. That should give her more room to stretch her wings and give you space to add some friends for her.
 
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Thank you, QM,
Yes, just what I was thinking. Dog run panels, that we can frame a top for. As long as I can get inside, to lock up the coop at night, the run would not have to be 'coon proof.
 
OK, we're building a "cage aroung a cage," and it is slow. Hope to have it before first rain. She's hanging in, but I fear bordem and feather plucking... As for bringing in a friend, this cage is WAY too small. Maybe with the over cage we are building. (Decided to customize, as the coop is on the porch.). I clean out every evening, replenish her dustbox, washed waterbowl and bar ale, so she wakes up to freshness... As for sand, I think I know where to get it, now. Our local supply stores weren't too helpful, finally found a good one. The local feedstores are really good people, the builders are snobs. If you're not a contractor, they don't want to talk. I heard an owl just now, helps with the guilt of penning her in...
 
Oh, and by the way, no sign of an egg. I, of course, assume, she's unhappy. Too many changes. I hope the new open cage helps. Geez, I'm stressed, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel...
 

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