- Apr 14, 2013
- 7
- 6
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We have 16 chickens - 14 hens and 2 roosters. One of the roosters is very agressive and chases after the hens a lot. The other one pretty much keeps to himself. They are all about 16 weeks old. So far everything has been fine - they free range outside all day (we live on 10 acres of mostly wooded property in northern Minnesota) and then go inside around sunset and roost. But there is one hen (a Rhode Island Red) who has started to avoid going into the coop at night. Before that happened, she would sleep in one of the nesting boxes. We tried putting her on the roost and she would stay but next night would go back to the nesting box.
Recently, however, she has been roosting outdoors in a wooded area next to the coop, on a low hanging branch. We got her last night and put her inside the coop, but tonight she was back on the branch. I tried to get her but she got away and I didn't want to scare her, so I let it go. The coop has 6 nesting boxes and is a decent size for the chickens. The only time they're in it is at night, so I don't think it's the coop.
Does anyone have any idea why she is doing this, and what we can do about it? I'm worried she is getting bullied but I'm not sure what I can do about it. I figure at some point, she will get cold enough to sleep inside. But I still would like to fix things so that she wants to be inside.
Forgot to mention that there are 5 Reds, 5 Barred Plymouth Rocks, 4 Whiting True Blues (including the dominant rooster), one white hen with some black feathers (the extra free one McMurray threw in) and the non-dominant rooster, which I have no idea what he is.
Thanks for any help you can give me.
Recently, however, she has been roosting outdoors in a wooded area next to the coop, on a low hanging branch. We got her last night and put her inside the coop, but tonight she was back on the branch. I tried to get her but she got away and I didn't want to scare her, so I let it go. The coop has 6 nesting boxes and is a decent size for the chickens. The only time they're in it is at night, so I don't think it's the coop.
Does anyone have any idea why she is doing this, and what we can do about it? I'm worried she is getting bullied but I'm not sure what I can do about it. I figure at some point, she will get cold enough to sleep inside. But I still would like to fix things so that she wants to be inside.
Forgot to mention that there are 5 Reds, 5 Barred Plymouth Rocks, 4 Whiting True Blues (including the dominant rooster), one white hen with some black feathers (the extra free one McMurray threw in) and the non-dominant rooster, which I have no idea what he is.
Thanks for any help you can give me.