One hen doesn’t return to coop at night— any ideas?

[NrsJocie]

I have 6 chickens total! Last Wednesday night one of my girls didn’t return to the coop at night! I thought she was gone only to find her the next morning huddled under her favorite bush... she wasn’t there the night before when looking for her! Now here we are 4 nights later, first night I let them out again to free range and she once again did not return to the coop tonight!
Hoping she is around in the morning again!! Any ideas on what I should do to get her back to the coop at night!?

Thinking if she comes back... they all might get banished to the coop and run for a couple weeks!!

 

[ChickNanny13]

Sounds like a plan.....How long have they been released & returning on their own? My thinking she may have "taken the wrong turn" and/or got left behind when the other returned. She found her "bush" which she apparently feels very secure under.

 

[KadeSilkies21]

Are all your hens the same age? It could be possible that she is getting 'bullied' by the other hens and is forced to sleep outside. Watch for any pecking.
Another reason she isn't sleeping inside could be that the coop is not clean enough. Chickens won't sleep in an unhealthy enviroment. There may also not be enough ventilation in the coop.
Did you just get your chickens? She may not exactly know where 'home' is yet. If that keep them in for a couple of days.
Keep us posted on how it goes!!! Good Luck!

 

[aart]

I have 6 chickens total! Last Wednesday night one of my girls didn’t return to the coop at night! I thought she was gone only to find her the next morning huddled under her favorite bush... she wasn’t there the night before when looking for her! Now here we are 4 nights later, first night I let them out again to free range and she once again did not return to the coop tonight!
Hoping she is around in the morning again!! Any ideas on what I should do to get her back to the coop at night!?

Thinking if she comes back... they all might get banished to the coop and run for a couple weeks!!

Welcome to BYC!
More info on:
- the numbers, genders, and ages of your birds?
- how long you've had them?
- size of coop in feet by feet?
Pics are most helpful here.
- what is your climate.
Putting your location in your profile helps.

Ventilation and Space are important...
...cleanliness only if it's impacting air quality,
chickens don't care about dirty unless it's absolutely filthy.

 

[NrsJocie]

Are all your hens the same age? It could be possible that she is getting 'bullied' by the other hens and is forced to sleep outside. Watch for any pecking.
Another reason she isn't sleeping inside could be that the coop is not clean enough. Chickens won't sleep in an unhealthy enviroment. There may also not be enough ventilation in the coop.
Did you just get your chickens? She may not exactly know where 'home' is yet. If that keep them in for a couple of days.
Keep us posted on how it goes!!! Good Luck!

All my girls are the same age but she is def bottom of the pecking order! She is the most personable and is my favorite but def is not popular with the other chickens!
Our chickens are 4 months old and have been in there run/coop for a while, I had just cleaned the coop when she started not coming home!
Is there anything I can do about the pecking order??

 

[twilightgecko]

i had a hen that kept disappearing at night and she was a new layer.. she was sitting on her eggs somewhere.. never found the eggs, but one rainy night fixed her of that.. i look out to see a drenched hen outside the coop one night.. she never ran away again..

and i did have one barred rock that kept jumping up in the tree above the coop at dusk.. a little squirt with the garden hose and that only lasted 2 nights..

 

[aart]

Is there anything I can do about the pecking order??

Not really, there will always be a low bird....
....just lots of space so the low bird can get out of the way of her 'superiors'.

Locking them up for a week or so is good idea.
Do you have a run?

Crowding is the number one cause for one bird not roosting in coop at night.

- size of coop in feet by feet?
Pics are most helpful here.
- what is your climate.
Putting your location in your profile helps.

 

[NrsJocie]

Not really, there will always be a low bird....
....just lots of space so the low bird can get out of the way of her 'superiors'.

Locking them up for a week or so is good idea.
Do you have a run?

Crowding is the number one cause for one bird not roosting in coop at night.

Yes we have a big run and coop! They have plenty of room! I don’t remember the measurements these days though! But I think we are fine for room, I have 6 girls and attached a pick of our coop and run! The girls have been locked up for almost two weeks! Thinking about letting them out later this afternoon to see how they do getting back! In this picture my kids are in the run!

 

[NrsJocie]

Oh BTW, we are on day three of getting our first eggs! Our leghorns started producing exactly 4 months to the day we brought them home!!

 

[aart]

Yeah, that looks pretty good for 6 birds...I'd bet 4x6' on coop.