Sleeping under the coop, not in the coop!

[kuulgrl]

About a week ago, my husband comes in the house and says there is only 5 chickens in the coop. There's supposed to be six, 1 too and 5 ladies. We found her snuggled up in the straw under the coop. (There is a 4x4x2 semi enclosed space under the coop, 2 exits) We left her there that night because I couldn't reach her very well, so we just found some boards to keep the cold air out better, but it wasn't very safe.

So, tonight I go to close up the coop and find only 4 inside and the other 2 underneath. It took me ten minutes to remove walls, shoo them out with a broom and get them back in the coop, then put it all back together. I was soaking wet by the time I was done. GRRRRR

There is two exits. They are protected from the elements now that its a bit warmer. I just don't know if I want to chance loosing them. Its a free standing coop without a run.

My question is, should I leave them if they do it again, or keep moving them?

 

[Kelsie2290]

If it isn't very safe I'd try to get them in the coop, you might have to open the space up completely so it is less inviting to them or block it off. Also try to figure out why they don't want to go into the coop, do they have enough room, is somebody being a bully? Are they going broody/ nesting down there?

 

[kuulgrl]

I think they just want their space/fresh air, now that it isn't super cold at night.

I don't think they are broody. The first one slept there last week, one evening, then didn't do it again till tonight and got her friend to keep her company. LOL

They are the two lowest in pecking order. I don't think they are picked on.

We killed a smaller opossum a couple months ago. There's been tracks that look like a bigger stray cat, possibly smaller dog or maybe a fox. I'm not good with identifying the tracks. I just know it isn't more opossums or raccoons.

I'll think on this and figure it out. I left the space open so they had cover when it's raining. Our brush isn't very thick for them to hide in, so I've made a few small shelters around the yard for them. ;-) I wonder if I just make the exits a bit wider if that would deter them. I'll have to wait till the wood and straw bale is no longer frozen to the ground though. LOL

Thank you for giving me some things to think of. I'll try to take some pics tomorrow.

Good night, BYC

 

[kuulgrl]

They've went in the coop the past 2 nights.

Weird girls wanted to try something new?

 

[Kelsie2290]

Who knows, think half the time they just like to play with our minds. Do wonder if it had something to do with them being the two lowest on the pecking order, maybe somebody higher up was going in late and by the time they wanted to go in they just settled outside.

 

[JadedPhoenix]

I used to have chickens that always slept under the coop. At one time I actually blocked off the underside with bricks but quickly decided to just leave them be after I had two hens break their necks on the bricks trying to go under the coop. It didn't bother them being out and I had them in a predator proof pen so I just let them be and do their own thing.

Since you have animals stalking your chickens, your best bet will be to make sure that the coop and under it are as safe as possible and that is all you can do.