Moved Rooster to new coop - he won’t leave the coop

[Gussygirl]

Good morning! I’m a new chicken mom! I got 8 silkies as babies in the Spring. One passed away. That left me 7…..and 2 turned out to be roos. They’ve been getting along fine until my hens started laying. I have Morton (named after Morton Salt because he’s salty) and Benny. Morton is a great rooster and takes care of his ladies. He’s also highly respected by the ladies. Benny is the sweetest boy ever. He’s very friendly, gentle, and just precious. Recently Benny has been getting bullied by Morton. The girls also don’t submit to him. He’s been hiding most days and had not crowed in a few weeks.

Fast forward to this past weekend. I built him a new coop and moved him in on Sunday. As soon as I moved him in he started crowing again. He seems happy! However he went into the coop Sunday night and refuses to come out. I put food and water outside the coop where he can see them but he won’t leave. It’s in the 90s here and even with his new place being in the shade, it’s HOT in there! I opened his window and leave his door open but it’s still so hot. I ended up putting a small waterer in the coop so he’d be able to drink. I even tried enticing him with treats, to no avail.

I am getting him two ladies on Saturday, but I’m worried he will suffer heat stroke by refusing to leave. Is this normal behavior? What should I do?

 

[CHlCKEN]

Put water inside with him. Has his behavior changed since he stopped coming out? I’ve seen this happen to some of my own birds directly after a traumatic event (predators attacking or terrorizing).

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Can you put 1 or 2 ladies in with him until you get the new ones? He's probably missing his flock.

 

[Gussygirl]

Put water inside with him. Has his behavior changed since he stopped coming out? I’ve seen this happen to some of my own birds directly after a traumatic event (predators attacking or terrorizing).

I think he’s definitely traumatized from the move. I put a small waterer in with him yesterday and put a little food in so he wouldn’t starve. I’m hoping he will venture out but his new girls will be here Saturday. He was in there crowing away this morning.

 

[Gussygirl]

Can you put 1 or 2 ladies in with him until you get the new ones? He's probably missing his flock.

The girls aren’t very nice to him either…they do what Morton tells them, so that’s why I didn’t move any of them. His new girls will be here Saturday so I’m trying to spend lots of time with him until then so he won’t be lonely.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

If you take the calmest ones, they wouldn't be around the other rooster anymore. They do act different when in another environment because chickens don't like change. Can he see the other flock at all?

 

[Gussygirl]

If you take the calmest ones, they wouldn't be around the other rooster anymore. They do act different when in another environment because chickens don't like change. Can he see the other flock at all?

He can’t see them, but he can hear them. They are separated by a raised garden bed. When Morton crows, Benny crows right back. I just went out to do chicken chores and I put a fan outside the coop that blows into his window.

 

[Gussygirl]

Luckily after the next few days of a heat wave, our temps cool off. I just need to get him through the next few days until his girls arrive.