Lucy Lu switched coops...

[noodleroo]

We recently sent 8 cockrels to freezer camp leaving Lola, a limping RIR and 3 pullets in the tractor. The other grown girls and one roo sleep in the playhouse coop for the 'big girls'.

Last night, Lucy Lu (one of the 'big girls and lowest in the pecking order) decided to sleep in the tractor with the 3 month babies and Lola. I guess there's lots more room in there now without the 8 little monsters. Anybody else have this happen often?

 

[gryeyes]

I was surprised the first time a chicken switched coops, but not any more. I think it's interesting and wonder if the choice was due to more room, or closer buddies, or exile and misery loves company, stuff like that.

I was really pleased when the "rescue" hen picked a coop after she was released from her small coop jail. Sort of surprised she hadn't returned to it, but she's an adult hen, who has lived somewhere else, before. I guess she really wanted the company of others.

How silly - I just typed that, and it's such a "No DUH!" statement!

 

[mom'sfolly]

Mine periodically switch coops. I have 13 girls and two boys. One of the boys and three of the girls are what is left from the most recent hatch. They started in one coop, and three others moved in. Then two moved out. It seems to have a lot to do with pecking order. The low ranking older hen moved into the coop with the younguns, and her status went up. A couple of the other girls seemed to decide they liked Big Buff better than the youngun Beau, and moved to Big Buff's coop. The older roo, although bigger, is gentler with the hens, so I think the girls moved in with the nicer boy.

Your low status bird is probably the highest ranking in her new flock.