Mass exodus!

[chickathon]

I have 28 chickens of different breeds. 11 of them have suddenly decided they prefer tree roosting to that of their run. I have gotten them down and returned them to their run. But lo' and behold the next night they want to roost in the same apple tree again. It's always the same tree. How can I discourage them from it. Or is it just something I have to learn to live with?

 

[kari_dawn]

you are gonna have to put them in the run, and leave them in there for several days to "reset" them to roost there.

After a raccoon attack, my speckled sussex used to roost on top of the coop rather than in it. It took me weeks of working with her to enter the coop at night. Did you have a predator breach that made them feel as if their coop was not secure enough? I had to free range everyone, then put them on lockdown for a few days and try again. I think it took four times for me to finally get her to use the coop willingly again.

 

[artsyrobin]

Do you have the run covered? for their safety, that is a must

 

[chickathon]

My run is completely covered. And lined with rock so no predators can dig in or climb over. It's like a chicken fort knox. I do have predators that sniff aroud the outside. I catch a coon or opossum and least every other week. They dry up for a couple of months but then are back again. We relocate them on a property that has no farm life.