So who should head into the coop first at night?

[jmtcmkb]

hmm interesting question, I have been watching mine at bed time, but not who leads into the coop- I did keep them in the coop for 3-4 days before letting them out, mine have not had an issue going in by themselves. At first I thought it was the bottom chick going in first, but I have noticed that she is always the last to get on the roost at night. They were huddled on the floor every night, so I put a night light in and they immediately were able to find the roost, but they squawk and push and shove into position every night, with my red stars always the last to find a postion. I will watch again tonight to see who leads them into the coop.

 

[Linn Bee]

I know that when mine were 'teens' and allowed to free range, the two pullets at the bottom of the pecking order tended to stay outside longer than the other 10 chickens did. I figured they did that to keep from being harassed.

Not dumb, they were the first to use the nesting boxes. Found them to be safe and secure sleeping spots away from the peckers. I was cleaning the boxes out each morning. Lucky for me, once everyone started laying, the boxes were no longer used for sleeping.

In the meantime, I did add another roosting bar, but I think my brahmas are more likely to sleep on the floor now.

Love, Linn B (aka Smart Red) Gardening zone 5a - 4b in south-est, central-est Wisconsin

 

[jmtcmkb]

I just watched mine head in for the night (

4:40 and we are getting dark ) dominant chick led them in, the two red sex links were last to go in and one actually seemed to struggle a bit seeing/entering the coop door, and it didnt seem that dark yet to me. As usual bottom two on the pecking order had to struggle to find a spot on the roost, but all are snug now.

 

[bobbieschicks]

Well my white leghorn Snow White - oldest and lead hen went in first and no one else wanted to go in - so I rounded up all the babies and shoved them in next. Then I watched the other three pullets go in and last was my head rooster Foghorn.

The babies know how to go into the coop because they've done it off and on today - including the silkies - whom I personally forced up the ramp several times to get them used to using the ramp. They just didn't appear to want to go in when it was getting dark. Of course it wasn't really that dark yet - so maybe that's the issue. I just needed them inside because I had to go watch my youngest so my husband could to take the kids to swim practice. And it would be pitch black at 6:30 pm when they return home.

Here's a picture from this afternoon of the 5 lavender orpington babies - good news is they loved hanging out on the ramp. Bad news is my lead pullet didn't lay an egg today

it would have been our 5th egg. I hope she lays one tomorrow.

The silkies use the ramp too - but they prefer to fly down and fly up the ramp HAHA!