Not going into the barn at night

[redlink]

I have 6 red link hens that are 16 weeks old. They have been going into their house every night, now the past 2 nights 2 hens will go in and the others stay out making a lot of noise. What could be going on?

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC! Are one of the two that are going in being bullies and not letting the others in? Is there plenty of roosting space for the other hens?

 

[Michael OShay]

Hello

and Welcome To BYC! Are one of the two that are going in being bullies and not letting the others in? Is there plenty of roosting space for the other hens?

Welcome to BYC! Glad you decided to join our flock. Kelsie2290 is echoing my thoughts exactly. How large is your coop and how many linear feet of nesting bars do you have? Please feel free to ask any other questions you may have. We are here to help in any way we can. Good luck with your hens roosting.

 

[drumstick diva]

Hmm Kelsie probably hit the nail on the head. You could try detaining the two that go in with a dog crate off somewhere and see if the others go into the coop without them. That should give you the answer. If they are bullying the others - having them away from the coop(crated) for a few days should take them down a peg or two and restore the other four hens confidence about roosting indoors.

 

[redlink]

Thank you everyone! During the day they hang out together. This just started this 2 nights ago. They have been very loud also. A couple of hens are Squatting. Could that be the reason, they are getting ready to lay. Actually they all roost in the nesting boxes. I have 2 roosting bars. They prefer the boxes over the roosting bat.

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

X3 on Kelsie.

 

[Michael OShay]

I have 2 roosting bars. They prefer the boxes over the roosting bat.

How long and high are your roosting bars? What kind of material are your roosting bars made of? Are your roosting bars higher than the nest boxes? Chickens will usually seek the highest available point to roost. I'm thinking that you probably need to put in another roosting bar or two, and perhaps raise some of your roosting bars, and then block off the nest boxes for a few days until they get in the habit of using the roosting bars.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

I think you need to go outside at roosting time and see what is going on. Chickens are known for bullying others right out of the coop at night.

Good luck and welcome to our flock!

 

[Aronia]

http://weather.gc.ca/city/pages/on-107_metric_e.html

 

[redlink]

Thank you! I will definitely scope it out tonight.