Pullet separating herself from flock to roost.

[jwyles]

hi all,

I'm wondering about my 22 wk old Cochin pullet's new behavior. There is a small roosting bar away from the larger one where all my other girls roost together and for some reason for the last several days my little Cochin girl has been putting herself to roost all alone separated from everyone else. This roosting bar that only she is using is in a small enclosure accessible from the coop by a chicken ladder so all of them can get to either location at any time but for some reason all but her are going to the big roosting ladder. I'm wondering if this could mean she's ready to start laying; or does this mean she's being picked on or something else? Does anyone have any idea why she may be doing this? Thanks in advance!

 

[sfgwife]

How much roost space do you have for how many birds?

 

[jwyles]

How much roost space do you have for how many birds?

The large roosting ladder has 4 3 ft bars. I have nine chickens and all but 1 get on 1 or 2 bars. I don't think space is the issue but I could be wrong bc lately they've all been getting on the top bar and I guess maybe since she can't fit she is going in the small coop to feel safer rather than being in the more open space of the larger section on the coop. I really hadn't thought of that. *Correction - 4 4ft bars.

 

[sfgwife]

Is the one she is roostin on as high or higher than the other? Birds look for the highest spots they can get to to roost...right now we have open windows in our coop... and a few of the ladies fight nightly for the window frame top seat. Two sometimes make it but most nights it is only one bird. There are also a few hooligans that try their damndest to get in the open triangle space at the tippy top of the coop where the vents are made.... but the ledge ther isnt big enough for them. Lol! But both spots are higher than the roost bars. Ours are all the same height set in horizontal lines.

 

[jwyles]

Is the one she is roostin on as high or higher than the other? Birds look for the highest spots they can get to to roost...right now we have open windows in our coop... and a few of the ladies fight nightly for the window frame top seat. Two sometimes make it but most nights it is only one bird. There are also a few hooligans that try their damndest to get in the open triangle space at the tippy top of the coop where the vents are made.... but the ledge ther isnt big enough for them. Lol! But both spots are higher than the roost bars. Ours are all the same height set in horizontal lines.

It may be a little higher but not too much.