Roosting in a tree

[mzrea]

I let my chickens out to free range in the evenings when I get home. I have one 14 week old that I have found roosting in a tree near the coop when all the other chickens have gone into the coop(s) Any ideas why she would do this?

 

[Year of the Rooster]

Natural instinct.

 

[Chicks_N_Horses]

Quote:
Yes, and I have several that live outside full time and roost in the trees.

 

[Missy3b]

Word of caution- I had this happen a couple of times and owls came and ate them. Not pretty.

 

[kycklingmamma]

I have the same issue, two of my 17 wk old White Leghorns fly out and roost in our birchtree at night. They used to be really low so I could reach them with a broom handle...not anymore, now they roost about 14+feet up so I can't get'em.
.

 

[txchickie]

Every single one of our grown chickens roost in the trees. Is that my preference? No. Drives me nuts, actually. But we've not lost one due to it. Not saying it's not a possibility, but it just hasn't happened yet.

They started following the guineas up in the trees in the evenings. They roost in the tall cedar trees right outside my bedroom window (and the roos start crowing at 5am

). They get up in the thick parts up high, you can't really even see them.

 

[cgmccary]

I have a 5 year old Bantam hen who has always roosted in the trees or bushes. She is high in a maple tree tonight. She is not the color "white" though, but a very crafty, Brown/Red OEG, so she is very difficult to spot, for now. I have another pullet who is roosting on the fence where the bushes hang over and yet another one in my Ligustrum bush. The bush used to be where the OEG roosted and she showed her chicks the bush (the one chick stayed in the bush) & the OEG then felt crowded? & moved to the maple tree.

I'm thinking when the tree looses its leaves in the Fall, she will be like a sitting duck & easily seen-- but I haven't figured out how to break her of roosting in the tree.

Cedar tree would be better cause it is an evergreen and thick (the Ligustrum is thick & always has leaves as well).

I always worry in storms & rain-- how do ya'lls cope with the rain & wind?? Mine seem to make it-- I don't know if they stay dry but are dry when I see them in the mornings.

 

[txchickie]

Quote:
We had bad storms here last night, 60mph winds, hail, etc...I was glued to the window staring at the tree they were in and they were fine. The ones that I could, I got in the coop before the sun went down, but there were still at least 10 in the trees

Along with all of the guineas.

I hate it, though. Scares the heck out of me. But they don't just sit out on a limb exposed, they all fly up and climb into the thickest, leafiest (if you can call a cedar tree "leafy") part and roost tightly side by side on thick branches. I'm sure they get wet, but there is some protection, even though it probably isn't much. But it is what they prefer, and I think they have a happy life getting to free range as they please.

This past winter when we had a couple of blizzards and some snow days, I worked nearly all day the day before the snow hit getting them into the coop. I had some PO'd chickens and guineas locked up, but at least they weren't out in a dang blizzard like an icicle in the trees

Some of the guineas actually did ride some snow storms out in the trees, but I think they're a bit tougher than my bantams.

 

[gamebirdsonly]

I had same problem with some of my birds, last winter I would have to out every night and put them in the coop some started to get the hint that it was warmer then out in a tree in snow and below freezing weather, Still had a couple that would not roost in the coop no matter how cold it got.