Roosters want to stay outside...

[jamiebartlett]

Yeah, you read that right..

I go out tonight to make sure everyone is tucked in, and that my new 7 babies are doing okay. I notice in the corner of my eye that there are chickens roosting on the garbage cans that hold their food in the covered run. I didnt think much of it, went to look inside the coop and found only girls in there! My boys were outside sitting on the garbage can. Come to find that the door to the coop got shut. So i opened it back up again and scooted them all in again. One promptly went to the roost, the other two went back out. SIGH. Is it not healthy for them to be outside? It gets about 50 degrees at night. They are about 8 weeks old. I dont'w ant to close the coop up, because their food and water is in the run., but will if it is a health concern. Any opinions, im willing to take all in consideration before making my decision! Thanks!

 

[Queen of the Lilliputians]

My big concern would be for their safety. How secure is their run? Could something grab them through the wire?

-Meghan

 

[panner123]

If they have spent one night in the coop, don't worry about them. When they get cold, they will go inside. But, if they have never spent the night in the coop, put some feed and water in there and lock them in a couple of times. A chicken is like a human in many ways, we get cold, we reach for another blanket, a chicken gets cold they head for the coop. I have had one hen brooding outside and it snowed, when i checked on her in the morning, she had some helpers huddled around her to keep her warm.

 

[jamiebartlett]

I got up at 1:00 and went out to check and he had made it back inside. Whew. I was worried he was getting cold. Our run is very secure. (KNock on wood I didnt just jinx myself!). I moved the gabrage cans over so that they werent against the fencing and he wouldnt be suspectible to a critter walking by and snatching through the wire. Thanks for your advice. I appreciated it!