- Sep 20, 2007
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We have 4 hens that are about 5 months old. We have a "pen" which is 8 ft by 10 feet and enclosed with chicken wire. Inside the pen is a Chick N Hutch which we bought and put together. The chickens very quickly learned to go into the "hutch" when it got dark out. I closed the door (they had food and water inside) and then let them out into the pen in the morning. The hutch has a roost, but they would mostly just cuddle in a corner. Recently they have not been going inside the hutch, but "sleeping" on the roof of it. Let me also say that I thought it was a little tight in there with a nesting box, so we "enlarged" the hutch a little by putting the nesting box in an extension onto the hutch. They can get into the box through the inside of the hutch. Not sure how to explain the behavior. Are they OK outside the hutch at night? The only way an animal could get in would be to burrow under the fencing and come up inside the pen. We live in a small town and sometimes see raccoons. Not sure what else might want to get into the chickens. Are chickens supposed to sleep on a roost/pole/bar type of thing? Or is it ok to just sit on the roof? No eggs yet. Have considered putting a light out to flip on about 5 a.m. and shine into the pen.