My chickens won’t go to their coop at night

[629522]

My first thought was predator. We had a pair of rat snakes in our coop during the summer and our girls were understandably twitchy for a while. We have babies who we just introduced to the coop and we hang around at sunset and feed treats until everyone goes to bed.

 

[Starpod]

I saw a cat on the cameras but I‘m sure it didn’t get into the coop

 

[629522]

I saw a cat on the cameras but I‘m sure it didn’t get into the coop

 

[629522]

Just being around can make them nervous, especially the rooster. We have one who sounds like a tea kettle if anything strange happens. Our cat patrols the yard and he doesn't bother them but they definitely know he's there.

 

[aart]

they usually roost. One of them is a rooster.

How long is that roost, in inches?
How old are they, in weeks or months?

 

[3KillerBs]

That coop appears to be EXCEEDINGLY SMALL and that roosting bar is both very low and fairly thin. They might be finding the coop cramped and the bar uncomfortable.

 

[Starpod]

We have an old shed and we were planning to remodel it during thanksgiving break...
It says 3 chicken on the box, but guess not.

 

[NatJ]

It says 3 chicken on the box, but guess not.

I think most prefab coops are designed for bantams (smaller chickens that need about half as much space as normal-sized chickens.)

So if you have normal sized chickens, plan that a coop will hold half as many chickens as the label says, or maybe even less.

 

[Starpod]

Alright I’ll tell my parents thank you everyone!

 

[3KillerBs]

We have an old shed and we were planning to remodel it during thanksgiving break...
It says 3 chicken on the box, but guess not.

I think most prefab coops are designed for bantams (smaller chickens that need about half as much space as normal-sized chickens.)

The claims are based on legal minimums for commercial birds rather than best practices for backyard birds that are not subjected to intensive commercial management.