Rhode Island Red hen is getting stubborn

[RevRico]

I only got my flock the end of February, so none of my chickens are laying yet. To me that rules out broodiness, but I'm no expert.

So about the hen in question is about 3 months old. This past week, she's decided she wants to spend the night on top of the coop instead of inside with everybody else. Earlier in the week she had convinced my Silverlight hen to join her, but she was afraid of the height, it seemed, and hasn't gone back up.

This started at the beginning of a big storm front, so maybe that has something to do with it? In the mornings I've found her hiding from the rain under my truck.

None of my chickens have ever liked being handled, although the barred rocks are starting to warm up to me and the child. None of them have ever been aggressive, even the ones I suspect to be roosters, but this RIR has actually pecked and scratched at me when I tried to pick her up and put her inside. They usually just run away from us.

So what's her deal? I've not noticed any bullying, ever, even with there being a runt and a slightly older chicken all in the same group(she's neither). They hang out together all day in the yard, roost together at night in the coop, with plenty of food and water and room to go around, so the basics are covered.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

How big is the coop?

 

[RevRico]

4x6, 6 feet high sloping to 5. 2 roosting bars 2x4s, one at 18inches high one at 36, the 18 is a foot from the back wall, the 36 is a foot or so from the 18.

They all completely ignore the roosting bars, and sleep huddled up on top of the feeder, or in the window at the very top of the coop.

8 chickens total, 2 RIR hens, 2 silverlight green eggers 1 I suspect male 1 female, 2 female barred rocks, and 2 light Brahma I originally suspected 1 boy 1 girl, but I'm starting to think both female.

So the coop may be a little small for 8, but they're only in it at night, and when the roosters start crowing they're moving away.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

Interesting!
Perhaps they did not learn what roosts were for and feel overcrowded or unsure of pecking order because of that. Other words...
Maybe she roosts on top of coop to get space, or to establish dominance. Or maybe someone established dominance over her and kicked her out!

Hmm. Hope someone else weighs in here.

While I do think it is a bit small, I also maintain a smaller coop because my birds free range dawn to dusk. When they feel crowded they still have space to move away from each other plenty. Clearly your birds do have options and choose otherwise.

 

[RevRico]

I have thought about her doing it to try to establish dominance of the group, like "haha I'm further up than all of you".

There's quite the pile of poop behind her, she stays in the same spot right next to the rope that opens the door. It all looks normal, and all day long she's with all the others hanging out in the pine trees or eating bugs and grass, so I feel like she's healthy enough.

They do have a lot of options and space during the day, I let them free range on my 2 acres from 8am to dusk, plus they've wandered to the abandoned neighbors yard a few times. Plenty of trees, garden beds, a creek I've caught them in a few times, lots of variety for them, and they're always in a group together.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

I have one peculiar bird myself. She prefers to sit, not roost, on top of the bookcase made into nesting boxes. This places her across the coop from everyone else, alone.
My guess is that, in her group of 3 she was the leader. When integrated with another group of 6, that leader is in charge of all of them. She's now low on the order.
She still otherwise behaves as a healthy bird. She is one of my more flighty gals, I swear she's part Sebright or something, very very bird like versus chicken like.

 

[aart]

So the coop may be a little small for 8, but they're only in it at night,

But that's when the problem occurs, so.....
Have they ever used to roosts?
Might be to tight of a space for them to get up and down...but the window, hmmm.

All birds are about 3-4 months old?
How many males?
Might the boys are starting to harass the girls.

Pics of your coop and run, inside and out, might help garner viable solutions.

 

[RevRico]

It's up to 5 of them spending the night outside. I've been busy, haven't been able to get an in the coop shot.

I even added fresh bedding today.

Watching them, it appears the roosters are pecking and scratching the hens that do want to go inside for treats at lockup time, so I guess they're going to move away this weekend, see if that changes things.

Worst case I guess, I go out and find them gone in the morning and replace them with a flock of 25 cent per Turkens from Rural King

 

[Roo5]

I wouldn’t get anything else till you have time to actually teach your birds where to roost,do they have a run?Its really up to you to get the birds in at night rather then just let them go missing and replacing more,just for the same thing happening, maybe try resolving this problem first.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

I second the idea that they may not know HOW to roost.
I absolutely echo the idea that one should not simply toss aside birds that prefer to sleep outside. There's a reason they are doing this. Some could be following the rest, but something started the desire to leave the coop.

Certainly, birds that pick on each other could be the issue, like you say with the males. You did mention males would be leaving, so I'd try to separate them and see if the ladies can be coaxed back in.

What keeps poking my thoughts is that they are huddling by the window when they're in the coop.
Does coop have ventilation?
Is the window the only source of light when coop is closed up?