My Chickens Are Acting VERY Strange!

[ShireLassie]

I have a flock of Black Australorps (26 hens and 3 roosters) that are 9 months old. For the past week to ten days they have suddenly begun acting very strange. I have a six box laying house where my hens lay their eggs but lately EVERY SINGLE CHICKEN has been spending all day in the house!! I will walk by their outdoor coop and not a chicken/rooster in sight! Does anyone have any idea why my chickens are doing this? They haven't been eating their pellets either for the past few days, tho they do eat some of the scratch and drink most of their water.... Help!!!!

 

[gritsar]

My first guess would be that they've had an encounter with a predator. Something may have come around and/or is coming around their coop/run that scared the bejebbers out of them.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

I agree with the first poster. I think something scared them.

When my chickens were all attacked and half of them killed by our dogs, they hid and stayed quiet for days before getting over it.

 

[ShireLassie]

They were acting a little more normal today, thanks! I do remember seeing a fox in our pasture a few days ago, so that is possible that he checked out our chicken coop. I guess I will have the dogs sleep outside in the backyard for a while so as to scare any "strangers" away. Btw, our coop is not in the backyard but is about 20 feet to the side of it, so the dogs don't scare our chickens, but they will scare any other predators away. I hope this works

 

[Mahonri]

Had to have been a predator of some sorts.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Double check your predator proofing and the chickens should get completely over their scare soon.
Our coop is outside the fenced yard also. If I have an inkling that the predators are getting too close I leave the yard gate open so that my wolfhound can get out to the coop. My cat patrols the coop area too.

 

[Iancurrannacearca]

it must be a prediter and it may be still around if they are not out yet.

a few months ago 2 of my RIR acted like that and they both died