Not going to roost

[Simplycrappie]

My flock of rhode island white's and red's refuse to go inside to roost every night I have plenty of roosting poles from 3'-4' high they have water and feed inside the coop and actually spend most of the day inside but when dusk comes they all pile up in a corner of the fence I have had chickens all my life and I have never had any to act like that.....any ideas?

 

[sourland]

Is this the coop that they have always been in, or are they new to the coop ? Have you checked the coop for a red mite infestation ?

 

[Simplycrappie]

No pest problems like I said they spend most of the day inside and it is the coop they have been in for the past several months they used to go up every night but since it had warmed up they have gotten stubborn.

 

[aart]

How old are these birds?
Same flock you've had for.... how long?

 

[Simplycrappie]

Around 10-11 months I hatched them.

 

[NatJ]

they used to go up every night but since it had warmed up they have gotten stubborn.

If the chickens' behavior changed, I'm guessing something changed about the coop, too.

Does it get hot at night? Maybe it's shaded in the morning, but the afternoon sun hits it?

Are there mites, rats, raccoons, opossums, or something else nocturnal? If it's something that hides in the daytime but comes out at night, that would explain why they are fine inside in the day, but avoid it at night.

 

[aart]

How many birds?
Please post pics of your coop, inside and out, we might be able to spot the issue.