missing chicken at bedtime...

[rlbrand]

I go into my coop about 40 mins later than usual last night, so I know all my chickens should be settled in for bed, and when doing my count I am missing one of my 11 week olds... I look all over and recount 6 times, I figure I'm going to have to start searching outside, when i look up and see my missing pullet up above my head in the rafters of the coop. I had to smile.. I have a ladder I made for them that one started using a couple days ago, then I have one more that sits up on the corner roost with the older girls. The other 14 still all pile in the corner of the coop. I never thought to look up Be interesting to see if over the next week or so when the rest learn to roost at night where they will all go..

anyone else surprised to find where their chicken decided to roost for the first time? What age did your chickens start to roost and get off the floor?

 

[azygous]

My latest batch of chicks roosted on their perch at five weeks, but they were trained. It took maybe three nights and they were staying when I placed them there.

As for missing a chicken at roosting time, yeah, that's happened. A Black Cochin of mine decided a dark corner under a nest box was a dandy sleeping spot. She was black so she was swallowed up by the dark. Only when I looked very closely did I see her beak reflecting what little light there was.

Looking up is not something we humans naturally do. That's a known behavior trait. When trying to evade other humans, you can perch on a tree limb right over their heads and they will hardly ever think to look up when searching for you.

One time a couple years ago, someone came on these forums reporting their flock had all disappeared and didn't come back to the coop that night. They were frantic with worry and grief.

I replied to the post and suggested they go outside with a flashlight and look up in the trees, if they had any. Guess where the chickens were.

 

[67drake]

I went through almost the same thing a few weeks back.
My 13 chickens were about 11 weeks old at the time. They always go from their fenced in,but uncovered,outdoor run into the coop at dusk. I did a head count before I locked the coop up for the night. 1 was missing. I couldn't find her to save my life,and I had to leave for work. Next morning she greeted me as I walked into the yard when I got home from work. Hmmmm.... That night,same deal,1 was missing again. I just happened to look up in the tree next to their run,and there she was in the crotch of my Locust tree-about 10 feet off of the ground!

 

[nab58]

That's cute! I've lost mine a few times only to find them in strange places.