- Jan 26, 2011
- 15
- 1
- 26
We've had two, two year old, RIR hens for a month. I built a nice coop with attached run for them to stay in at night. I kept them cooped in for the first 4 days and after that started letting them roam our small suburban yard during the day. They were so easy. I'd see them all day and then everyday around 4:30 I would find them back in their coop and close the door for the night.
Then, one evening an errand and late dinner led me to forget to close their coop until 09:30. I went out and found them gone with feathers all over the coop. Our yard is frequented by coons and possums, so I figured them goners and broke the news to the family.
Amazingly, they were both in the backyard the next morning apparently physically unharmed. My five year old supposes "Big", the larger and dominant of the two fought the coon off
I was away for the night and my wife couldn't/wouldn't catch them, so they spent another night out. I got home and put them in the coop. They were very unhappy about going back in. I kept them penned up for over a week while we went out of town. Came home and let them out the next morning. They tried to sleep on the back patio on a ledge and I had to unhappily put them back in their coop.
Are they traumatized for life? Will the coop ever be their happy home again?
Then, one evening an errand and late dinner led me to forget to close their coop until 09:30. I went out and found them gone with feathers all over the coop. Our yard is frequented by coons and possums, so I figured them goners and broke the news to the family.
Amazingly, they were both in the backyard the next morning apparently physically unharmed. My five year old supposes "Big", the larger and dominant of the two fought the coon off

Are they traumatized for life? Will the coop ever be their happy home again?