Sleeping arrangements

[StaceyM]

We have an assortment of chickens- a Buff Orpington, RI Red, Silverlaced Wyandotte and an Andalusian. They get along fine as far as we can tell...however, lately, only the Buff Orp is sleeping inside the actual coop. The other three are sleeping on a roosting bar in the pen underneath the coop. This seems odd to me, considering it is January. We keep the inside of the coop very clean...not sure a chicken really cares. I just can't figure out the sudden change.

 

[azygous]

If you want to know what's going on watch your chickens. Get out there a few minutes before they normally roost for the night. Observe the action. Chances are the BO is throwing her weight around. I have a BO that thinks it's great sport to haze the older, weaker, younger, more timid chickens as they try to come into the coop to roost. I have a Cream Legbar hen that likes to bully a few easily intimidated hens during the day in the run.

Far from stationing myself as run and coop cop, I do discipline these two bullies whenever I see them pull their macho little stunts. I keep a fly swatter handy and all I have to do is raise it up and show the bully, and she suddenly decides to stop playing her game. They each got a prior conditioning swat, and they will never forget what that swatter can do to fuzzy little butt.

Bullying is the most common reason for chickens suddenly preferring to sleep somewhere besides the coop. But rodents, snakes, and coop mites can make it very unpleasant in the coop, so chickens will not go inside. You may want to rule those things out.

 

[mimipeaches]

I had that happen when I 1st added my hens into my other flock one of my roosters would kick one of the hens off of the roost so she had to sleep lower but now they are fine and all living happily together....... for the most part