Roosting in a tree...

[coop-er]

I have a flock of 17, roosters and hens, approx 10 breeds. All has been well until 5 days ago. I have 1 white leghorn pullet who has not been going into the coop at night, she is roosting in a tree next to the coop. The first 2 nights I shut the coop not realizing that she was not in it, now at sundown I find her in the tree and put her in the coop with her flockmates. What's up with this??? Will she eventually get back on board with the program around here?

 

[ZoeS95423]

I have a chicken that does the same thing. I had to pick her up out of the tree and put her in the coop by hand.
Then it got to the point that I cannot find her at night. She has been doing this for 3 years. I have no clue where she goes at night. I've tried searching for her, to see where she ends up. It never works, she just disappears!
I live in northern NY though, and when it starts getting cold, she goes back in the coop for the winter by herself.

Now I have a new coop which has a ledge above the windows, which is probably about 10 foot high, she goes up there, and has not disappeared at night yet even with it being nice out.

Maybe make a few extra high roosts for her?

 

[coop-er]

I have a chicken that does the same thing. I had to pick her up out of the tree and put her in the coop by hand.
Then it got to the point that I cannot find her at night. She has been doing this for 3 years. I have no clue where she goes at night. I've tried searching for her, to see where she ends up. It never works, she just disappears!
I live in northern NY though, and when it starts getting cold, she goes back in the coop for the winter by herself.

Now I have a new coop which has a ledge above the windows, which is probably about 10 foot high, she goes up there, and has not disappeared at night yet even with it being nice out.

Maybe make a few extra high roosts for her?

That's a thought-she gets up high, I have trouble getting her down, I hate the thought of her being out of the coop at night, I imagine it's only a matter of time before a predator finds her in the middle of the night. Her flockmate ( my other white leghorn) will roost with her, but she hops down at sunset and heads for the coop.

 

[donrae]

I had a trio roost in the tree next to the coop for about 2 years. All year long, rain, wind, whatever. They were fine.....the trees do offer a fair amount of protection from the weather, or all the wild turkeys around here would die off each winter. Predators can be an issue, though. But no, she's not going to change on her own. You'll have to catch and confine her to the coop to re-train her where to sleep if you want her in the coop.