Odd Roosting Habits

[SaraBT]

I'm beginning to wonder if refusal to go into the coop at night is a signal that something is wrong.

We had a hen we called "Uck-Uck" (that's the sound she made when we'd cuddle her). She was maybe two years old and the sweetest thing. But then she started hanging on our deck when it was time to go into the coop. I would pick her up and place her in the coop. This went on for about a month. Then one day or night she disappeared. She was taken by a hawk, I suppose.

Just this morning as I was drying off from a shower I heard an ungodly commotion outside. The chickens and guinea hens were going crazy, and the guinea hens had flown onto the roof. I quickly dressed and ran outside, where the roosters were still muttering to themselves and some of the chickens were hiding under the deck. I could not find the white bantam anywhere. She's the one who has been refusing to go indoors at night.

Now I'm thinking that perhaps they know something is wrong with them and WANT to be taken out? I know that sounds bizarre, but the coincidence of two chickens who suddenly stopped taking proper precautions has me curious...

 

[centrarchid]

I'm beginning to wonder if refusal to go into the coop at night is a signal that something is wrong.

We had a hen we called "Uck-Uck" (that's the sound she made when we'd cuddle her). She was maybe two years old and the sweetest thing. But then she started hanging on our deck when it was time to go into the coop. I would pick her up and place her in the coop. This went on for about a month. Then one day or night she disappeared. She was taken by a hawk, I suppose.

Just this morning as I was drying off from a shower I heard an ungodly commotion outside. The chickens and guinea hens were going crazy, and the guinea hens had flown onto the roof. I quickly dressed and ran outside, where the roosters were still muttering to themselves and some of the chickens were hiding under the deck. I could not find the white bantam anywhere. She's the one who has been refusing to go indoors at night.

Now I'm thinking that perhaps they know something is wrong with them and WANT to be taken out? I know that sounds bizarre, but the coincidence of two chickens who suddenly stopped taking proper precautions has me curious...

What you say has merrit. When something like a raccoon or great-horned owl disturbs my roosting birds, they are inclined to move to another location the following night. Last fall a great-horned owl kept coming after one of my free-ranging flocks that roosted in an oak tree. Flock was made up of a gamerooster and nearly 2 dozen of his offspring. Initially flock moved to be in a cooler location, the first oak tree. After a couple weeks the great-horned owl came calling and knocked a few juveniles out of tree. Dog went out and prevented owl from taking any but birds were very much stressed. Flock under leadership of rooster (he gave an interesting come to roost call each evening) then moved to another location where owl found them again and process was repeated. This continued until flock returned to original roosting site on front porch were owl dared not harass them. Once disturbed, the birds seem strongly motivated to move another location and this can prevent use of a roost that otherwise appears suitable to us.

 

[EastTXChickens]

My young flock has started gathering 8' up in a young oak close to the house to roost for the night. We get them down with mealworms and into their nearby tractor coop for the night.

Last night I decided to let them roost in the tree. Our Dobie & Golden sleep very close to the chickens and are good about night patrol. Bad move. I was awakened by a kerfuffle from the tree and raced out to find the chickens fine, but one was wandering under the tree. We managed to get a few in the coop but others remained in the tree, leaving them vulnerable and me tossing and turning.

They're all accounted for today and appear non the worse for the wear, unlike us.
Tonight they're gonna be securely tucked in. They might be okay roosting in the tree but it's too dang hard on me.