One pullet won't go to coop at night

[juliemama]

I have three RIR crosses, one is laying now (not sure what she's crossed with or her exact age, but she just started laying) and the other two are EE crosses and about 20 weeks old, not yet laying. One of the "little girls", Ginny, doesn't seem to like going into the coop at night like the others. She does know where it is, but she always jumps onto the fence and perches behind an arborvitae tree that is against the fence, and I get her down every night and put her in with the other two. Tonight I couldn't find her for a long time when I went to lock up the coop, and I finally found her 10 feet up in a (different) arborvitae tree! She was in there pretty deep and wouldn't come out on her own, so I had to get a ladder and get her so she'd be safe overnight.

So what is her DEAL? Does she hate her coop/perch/sisters? Does she just like to be alone, or just roost higher? Is wing-clipping really a thing, and is it cruel?

 

[Outpost JWB]

Sounds like she is just low on the pecking order. Sometimes it helps to crate them for a week or so & let them get used to their surroundings inside the coop area. I have 5 pullets that I have had since birth. Just moved them to the big coop and they want nothing to do with it. They kept flying out and running back to their chicken tractor. They are currently in the crate.

Wing clipping is real. I do not personally do it to my chickens. They free range daily and need to be able to get away from possible predators. The farmer I got my original chickens from did clip wings and she told me to only clip one side, so when they do try to fly, they will be lopsided.

Hope this helps.