New chickens, night roosting problems

[lanaschix]

I live in a predator heavy area. Chix are in a tractor with an enclosed run on the bottom and a secure coop on top with a locking door. Every night, hens go into the coop and the door shuts and locks automatically. (Pullet shut)

A friend is moving and had to get rid of two laying hens. They are older and pretty docile. After allowing them to hang out supervised for a bit and being sure they were healthy, they are on the second night in the tractor. The first day there were some mild daytime squabbles. That night, the 2 new hens went into the coop and all of my old chickens roosted on the highest perch in the run. We checked on them after dark and had to open the door to the coop and manually put them all in there which they didn't seem too happy with but all was quiet once they were in.

This morning, they all woke up pretty cheerful and have been getting along very well all day. But once again, tonight after dark, the two new chickens were safely locked inside and all the old chickens were in the run.

What should we do? Just keep doing the same thing and hope things adjust in a few days? I cannot leave the old chickens outside because it is too dangerous here and I don't really have any other place to put the new chickens either.

Thanks!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If you had a larger coop I would say to add more roosts, but since your limited on space you will have to keep putting them away until they start doing it by themselves again. You are lucky that they are getting along.

 

[lanaschix]

Do you think they will eventually go back in at night? I'm just worried they will get used to roosting outside the coop and something will get them

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

If there's enough roost space for everyone they will eventually go back in, if there's not enough for everyone to get away from from each other you may have troubles.

 

[lanaschix]

We have fairly big tractor. It's built to house 12 chickens and with these 2 included we have 8 total.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Then keep rounding then up, they should eventually go in.

 

[aart]

Interesting that the new birds are dominating the roosts.

Maybe there isn't enough room to roost?
Pics of inside of tractor roost?

 

[lanaschix]

There are three roosting bars and each is 5 feet long so I think that should be plenty a room for 8 chickens. Before we got the new chickens, they would all roost on the same bar. Yes, the new chickens are definitely dominating. My old chickens were six months old and these are a few years old so that's probably why.

 

[lanaschix]

Hurray!! They are all tucked in together in the coop and even cuddled up next to each other!!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Good to hear.