roosting question

[shelleyd2008]

I have a small coop that I built for my chickens. All my chickens are free range, and have mostly started roosting in the barn rafters, except for 3. I have a cochin (standard) hen that decided to nest in the corner of the coop, and has started hatching today!!

We thought we would just close the door, until her chicks get bigger, then let her out. If we do this, the other 3 that still roost in there won't be able to get in. Would they then go to the rafters with the others, or would they get confused and find somewhere else? Or should I just let them in in the evening?

 

[shelleyd2008]

No one?

 

[banter]

I would not keep them out. I think they'd get confused. This seems to be a situation of watch and wait.

 

[banter]

Can you put mama and chicks in a temp cage or pen for a while?

 

[Appytaz]

I had something similar happen back in July and I caged my momma and the chicks up for a few weeks and the released mom and keep the babies in a cage for a few more weeks. It really helped to tame the babies and the mom calmed down alot also.

 

[scooter147]

I would definately keep them seperate wether that is caging momma and the chicks or locking the others out.
Can the three that still roost in the coop get up in the barn rafters? Don't know how high the rafters are but since you called it a barn I am thinking it is quite high.

 

[shelleyd2008]

They should be able to get up in the rafters. The big standard cochin mama was roosting there before she started setting, so I figure if she can then there's no reason why they can't. They've just been roosting in the coop since I got them, so I guess that's where they are comfortable. But the others started roosting in the coop to begin with, and they all moved. But you think they should go where the others are scooter? That is what my dad said, but you have to take what he says with a grain of salt, so to speak.

 

[scooter147]

Shelly
Speaking from experience if options are given it is not unusual for chickens to roost in seperate places.
In my previous place I had three out buildings and I had chickens roosting in all three.
The ancestors of chickens would not all roost in the same tree, they spread out into several trees, just like wild turkeys generall do, they will do this as a defense mechanism if a predator finds one tree with birds in it the others are safe.