One Hen waiting to go in at night

[Urbanbird1]

We have three hens, two Easter eggers and one Maran. We go lock up their coop and close the pop door every night. The maran has started staying out while the others go in, until we get out there to lock her in. She is friendly and seems to be waiting to be a put to bed. Are there other possible reasons for this behavior? It’s kind of dangerous since a predator could get in the run area between dusk and 8:45, which is when it finally gets dark. Thanks for any ideas!

 

[CluckerFamily]

Is she the bottom of the pecking order?

 

[Urbanbird1]

She might be, or might be in the middle. I really can’t tell. She gets some treats first, but sometimes is chased away. She follows us around the entire time when we’re in the run. When she gets inside she goes right to her spot on the bar, sometimes causing one of the EEs to move to a lower bar. Some of her head feathers have been pulled out, we saw another chicken on top of pecking order bite them once inside the roost.

 

[Mtnboomer]

I have a hen and the rooster do the same thing occasionally without rhyme or reason. They free range and are fully exposed to predators when they do it. I usually lock them up right after dark and find them sitting on the landing outside the coop door.

Both of these birds usually dont roost. The hen is the lowest in the pecking order and despite there being plenty of room to roost, the other hens won't let her.
The rooster has either gotten too big to jump up to the roosts (doubt thats the case) or he just prefers to guard the door. Even when he goes in the coop, he sleeps immediately inside the door facing it.
I have never figured out why the choose to not go inside the coop. They only do it about once a month for 3-4 days then everything goes back to normal. Temperature, weather, clean coop, dirty coop, etc doesn't seem to matter.

"Chicken brained" isn't a compliment for a reason.

 

[aart]

We have three hens, two Easter eggers and one Maran. We go lock up their coop and close the pop door every night. The maran has started staying out while the others go in, until we get out there to lock her in. She is friendly and seems to be waiting to be a put to bed. Are there other possible reasons for this behavior? It’s kind of dangerous since a predator could get in the run area between dusk and 8:45, which is when it finally gets dark. Thanks for any ideas!

How old are these birds, in weeks or months?
Is this a new behavior?
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics(inside and out) would help immensely here.

 

[Urbanbird1]

Thanks for your reply- picture is attached.

How old are these birds, in weeks or months? - about 11 months old
Is this a new behavior? - yes, newer since the days started getting longer. Usually all 3 birds would be up and we'd go shut them in at dusk.
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet? -coop is below- the roosting area has two bars They all fit on one bar. The outdoor area is about 15x20 ft. They don't go outside that area because we have a hawk's nest on in the yard.
Dimensions and pics(inside and out) would help immensely here.

 

[Urbanbird1]

How old are these birds, in weeks or months?
Is this a new behavior?
How big is your coop and run, in feet by feet?
Dimensions and pics(inside and out) would help immensely here.

I have a hen and the rooster do the same thing occasionally without rhyme or reason. They free range and are fully exposed to predators when they do it. I usually lock them up right after dark and find them sitting on the landing outside the coop door.

Both of these birds usually dont roost. The hen is the lowest in the pecking order and despite there being plenty of room to roost, the other hens won't let her.
The rooster has either gotten too big to jump up to the roosts (doubt thats the case) or he just prefers to guard the door. Even when he goes in the coop, he sleeps immediately inside the door facing it.
I have never figured out why the choose to not go inside the coop. They only do it about once a month for 3-4 days then everything goes back to normal. Temperature, weather, clean coop, dirty coop, etc doesn't seem to matter.

"Chicken brained" isn't a compliment for a reason.

That's interesting- I wonder if being lower on the pecking order has to do with this. Or maybe she just gets confused

 

[aart]

yes, newer since the days started getting longer.

..and hotter.

That coop is tiny, so easy for one to keep another out.

Might want to turn that whole coop/run combo into all coop.

 

[Mtnboomer]

It is a small coop.

The pecking order definitely determines who roosts where in my current flock with the rafters in the middle of the coop being reserved for the head honchos. The hen who occasionally stays outside has plenty of room to roost (41 linear ft of roost for 15 birds) but it doesn't. It was not allowed when it was young by the other birds and has since stopped trying.
I rotate my birds about twice a year (butcher some add new) and individual personalities may play a roll. I have had groups that never do this and, like now, occasionally a hen who won't go in. I cant remember where the previous ones ranked in the flock.