OUT Doors Hen

[Ascholten]

This is kind of strange.
My new girl. She ABSOLUTELY is the alpha bird. With that she also IS part of the flock now, they allow her to run around with them as the gaggle of goofs etc etc. When it comes time to roost. they ALL, including her at first, used to go into the henhouse. It's a bit crowded in there i admit I need to put another roost up for them, however even with this, they never had any problems before, even sleeping in the nesting box if one waited too long to get in and it was too dark to hop up.. With that tho.

Last 3 or 4 days, she wants to sleep outside now. Even though she is the alpha and she could have any roost position she wants, she wants outside. She has no qualms about this either,she is in fact, actively trying to stay outside. She's not shy or skittish either, she will just hop right on top of the coop fluff up and she's happy sleeping right there, out under the stars! Id put her in the coop, she'd come right back out and in a few minutes plop, on top of a table, put her in the roost box, a minute later ploop right back outside, flap flap plop, right back on top of the coop, fluffing down for the night.

I finally said ok fine, I put her up next to the house on a tote, sort of behind some bushes, right by the door so she is not just nakkid out in the middle of the yard for any owl to see. but ill let her sleep outside tonight.

Why would she be this way all of the sudden.

Disclaimer: I got her at a year and a half or so old, she was an outside chicken before, as in kept in a cage with perches and not really a roof over her head so maybe that's why? I dunno.

any ideas, comments? this is just weird, not wanting to be inside for the night

aaron

 

[The-White-Elephant]

This is kind of strange.
My new girl. She ABSOLUTELY is the alpha bird. With that she also IS part of the flock now, they allow her to run around with them as the gaggle of goofs etc etc. When it comes time to roost. they ALL, including her at first, used to go into the henhouse. It's a bit crowded in there i admit I need to put another roost up for them, however even with this, they never had any problems before, even sleeping in the nesting box if one waited too long to get in and it was too dark to hop up.. With that tho.

Last 3 or 4 days, she wants to sleep outside now. Even though she is the alpha and she could have any roost position she wants, she wants outside. She has no qualms about this either,she is in fact, actively trying to stay outside. She's not shy or skittish either, she will just hop right on top of the coop fluff up and she's happy sleeping right there, out under the stars! Id put her in the coop, she'd come right back out and in a few minutes plop, on top of a table, put her in the roost box, a minute later ploop right back outside, flap flap plop, right back on top of the coop, fluffing down for the night.

I finally said ok fine, I put her up next to the house on a tote, sort of behind some bushes, right by the door so she is not just nakkid out in the middle of the yard for any owl to see. but ill let her sleep outside tonight.

Why would she be this way all of the sudden.

Disclaimer: I got her at a year and a half or so old, she was an outside chicken before, as in kept in a cage with perches and not really a roof over her head so maybe that's why? I dunno.

any ideas, comments? this is just weird, not wanting to be inside for the night

aaron

Just an opinion, maybe she likes it better outside? Maybe it’s too hot?

 

[Ascholten]

She obviously likes it outside more, not sure on the hot it's well, winter here. Knowing my soft heart for birds (and soft head) ill probably end up building her a box or something to sleep in outside. She actually is incredibly tame too and does NOT get into all the plants like the others do, she really behaves so giving her, her own little house. yah i can see me doing that.

Aaron

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

As would I. Your just clucky

 

[Ascholten]

I built her a little place outside. She slept in it for about a week, then decided she wanted to be back in the coop, so somehow all 5 of them figured out how to get on the perch all snuggly with each other and they all sleep inside now. Go figure.

BUT, it's not all in vain, the Clucker Cottage will be a nice little place for when one of them wants to get broody and stubborn about knocking it off. It'll be a good little timeout cage for them to break the broodies, or if I bring a new one in and she needs a place to lay until they accept her.

It's been colder at night tho too so, maybe when the weather warms back up she'll migrate back outside, we shall see. sigh.... the things I put up with to keep the peace around here, I tell you!!

Aaron