My chicken hates me.

[smkchick]

My 13 week (or so) Black Star rescue has a habit of roosting overnight in a tree in my yard. I've been intercepting her in the afternoons and luring her into her coop to keep her safe at night. I was hoping she'd get used to the idea, but now she's trying to outmaneuver me. One afternoon she was up in the tree extra early so I shook it to make her come down, then lured her into the coop with treats. No problem. Next day, she refused the treats and wouldn't let me near her. I finally caught her and put her into the coop. I've been trying to avoid doing that because I didn't want it to be traumatic. Today, same thing. She followed me and the treats right to the coop door but then turned around and walked away. Again I had to catch her and put her in the coop.

I don't want this to be a test of wills (although I think that ship has sailed) but I also don't want to allow her to roost in a tree overnight because of predators (although I live in a suburban area). Any suggestions on how to make her choose the coop at night? There's a perch and food and water and it's a clean and secure place. Think this will change when she starts laying? Or when the baby chicks I have in the brooder can join her in the coop?

It breaks my heart to have to force her in the coop, but her safety comes first.

Ideas?

 

[BarnGoddess01]

As a general rule, chickens are not touchy feely pets. In my experience - they are fiercely independent and quite sure they know better than us. I don't know, maybe they do.

I had a black Ameraucana pullet that sounds exactly like your Black Star. She was SURE she wasn't going to let me hustle her to the coop. So I closed things up and settled in on a lawn chair to see what she would do. As dusk was truly upon us - she was determined to find a way into the coop and allowed me to open the door for her.

Things did change when she started laying - and, I believe, a few days of coop lockdown because of rain helped to reinforce where home is. I had trouble with her for a few days but no issues since.

Good luck!!

 

[AV Brahmas]

I'm not sure why it breaks your heart to force her to live in a building designed for her comfort. I also don't lose a lot of sleep over a chicken's opinion of me, if it even has one.

Once again, conditioning. Put her in the building. LEAVE her in the building. If it doesn't have a run, it should. Runs are where they are held in proximity to the planned roosting area and help them learn where to go. A few days lockdown and she should get it. If not, then repeat the exercise until she does.

 

[Jajika]

I have "tree sleepers."

It all started when I adopted a tree sleeper and all the others followed her up into the trees.

I locked them up in a coop for five days, but nothing changed.

After many nights dragging them down from the trees, much to traumatic for all of us.

I, too, was very worried about predators but I was at a loss as to how to protect them. I had a raccoon attack and I was really crazy.

Finally, I got those red blinking lights to see if that would help and it did.

So I bought ten and placed them in the trees and all around the chicken area. I've never had another raccoon attack since.

 

[six_eclectic_chickens]

Lock her in the coop for a day or two. Sounds kinda nasty but it should work.

 

[smkchick]

Quote:

I'm not sure of why this made me laugh but it did. Why DO I care about what my chicken thinks of me??

Anyway, I'll give the lockdown a try. Just out of curiosity, how much "run" space should one hen need? I feel like she needs more space - I could enlarge the run area.

BTW, my dog cons me all the time too.

 

[Erin K]

Is she your only chicken? She's probably lonely and you should let her roost on your headboard of your bed at night.

TIC

 

[Baymule]

 

[Jajika]

I know several people have advised you to lock your chicken in the coop for several days as a cure for "tree sleeping."

Maybe it will work for you. I was advised the same thing several years ago on this board.

Again, I tried. I locked all five at the time. The very day I let them out they all went right back up into the trees.

I should explain that I have a chicken yard: It is a fenced area about 900 yards long and 100 yards wide. There are five fruit trees with lots of bushes in the area. I have two coops in this yard--one large that will hold about ten chickens and then a small coop I use for quarantine or baby chicks.

So, the trees are readily available. So, for me, locking the chickens up for a week didn't matter.

I suggest, again, for safety, get those red blinking night lights. I've been using them now for about six years. Have never had another night time predator attack since. It will save your sanity and your chickens.

BTW----I don't sell them, so I'm not advertising. Just passing along something that has worked for me.

 

[smkchick]

Quote:

I would but the dog sleeps there!