My chickens stopped roosting

[jamielovearm]

Our first chicken is a stray bantam easter egger (?) our neighbor found. We got her a couple months before we were ready to get set up with our first chickens in our new home. Nonetheless, we got her some company (an Ameraucana) and threw a coop together pretty quick, and they were roosting in no time. Now we don't know if it's because of winter or because she's getting old, given that we don't know how old she is, but she's been moving slower. That's all fine and good, but the problem is that now she won't go up to roost anymore & our other girl follows her lead. Do you think she's just getting old and this is normal or is there some way we can convince her to return to the roost?

 

[Judy]

She may find it difficult or painful to roost, since she is moving more slowly. I would let her sleep where she wished, myself.

 

[jamielovearm]

Would your opinion be the same if it was noted that the roost is the enclosed (warm) part of the coop and this new location only protects against predators but not from the cold and the wind? Granted, this is Austin, so it's not terribly cold, but it has been terribly cold for those of us that live here...