SLEEPING IN THEIR RUN

[shadow rabbit10]

I'm personally too paranoid about predators to let my birds sleep in their run. When I first moved my chicks out of the brooder and into the coop, I locked my birds in the coop for about a week. Sometimes I would let them in a pen outside, but I would manually put them back at dusk. After a week. I moved the food and water out of the coop and into the run (I don't leave food and water in the coop, too messy), then left the coop door open for the birds to leave/enter at will. They went inside the coop every night. You may want to try something like this, but if your birds are already exposed to the run, I'm not sure it will work as well.

 

[RMK04]

i d guess you hit the nail on the head when you mentioned the height of your roost poles inside vs the ones outside. from what i have learned birds prefer to roost at the highest point possible. maybe if you could get the inside roost bars higher, or outside roost bars lower, they will roost inside

 

[jstanard]

All twenty of my ladies sleep out in their run. We have a huge run with a cool on each end. Run is secure. I actually,have a nest box in the run that most girls prefer. Food is kept in coops. I live in NY though and am concerned about this winter! They all roost very close, only using two of the four twelve ft long roosts.

 

[Mrs. K]

Chickens prefer the highest of roosts. Also consider the space in the coop, and the number of birds you have. Measure, it may well be that you don't have enough space or roosting space in the coop.

I have heard that the nightlight does work wonders, a solar powered one would be easy to install.

Predators can wipe you out, I just got hit hard. And it is rotten. A good look at your set up, might make them a lot safer.


Mrs K

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Chickens prefer the highest of roosts. Also consider the space in the coop, and the number of birds you have. Measure, it may well be that you don't have enough space or roosting space in the coop.

I have heard that the nightlight does work wonders, a solar powered one would be easy to install.

Predators can wipe you out, I just got hit hard. And it is rotten. A good look at your set up, might make them a lot safer.


Mrs K

X 2 - it may be easier to hep you if you take and post some photos of the interior of your coop so that we can look at it from a chicken's perspective and help you possibly identify the things making outdoor roosting more attractive than the coop.