Sold rooster - now hens won't leave the coop!

[equivix]

Hi there,

I have three 4-6 month old Orpington pullets, haven't started laying yet. I had 4 but one turned out to be a roo that I sold last week. Since selling the roo, my hens (who used to spend all day in the run, napping under the coop) now won't leave the coop! Even when I tempt them out with some treats, they go right back in the coop after. I'm concerned because we'll be headed into winter soon and they'll be locked in there all winter - I rather they enjoy the time they have left outdoors! I let it go on for a week to see if they would get out of it with not luck, so I locked them out today so they can realize nothing has changed outside... Not sure that's the right move either. I do have water in the run and the coop, but food only in the run (I have to put it away every night due to rodents).

What's going on? Are they lost without the roo - he did tend to be the first out in the morning and "leader" so to speak. Are they Scared? They're naturally quite skittish - they were hen raised and not fans of people.
Should I be worried?

 

[Estella1235]

I think you should we lock them out most of the day but have certain times where they can go into there coop in the middle of the day so they can slowly get used to being out of it. You can also maybe get them some toys for them if you think they would get them to get them out of the coop and distract them. (I think those were both run on sentences so sorry about that )

 

[equivix]

I think you should we lock them out most of the day but have certain times where they can go into there coop in the middle of the day so they can slowly get used to being out of it. You can also maybe get them some toys for them if you think they would get them to get them out of the coop and distract them. (I think those were both run on sentences so sorry about that )

Never heard of chicken toys... What do you suggest?

 

[CluckerFamily]

A wiffle ball is great for stuffing treats into it. Chickens roll it around.
A plastic water or soda bottle will do the same thing if you drill holes in it.

 

[Estella1235]

Never heard of chicken toys... What do you suggest?

Some good chicken toys are hanging up lettuce for them to peck at or sticking a stick through an apple then sticking it in the ground

you can also buy some like chicken swings or what I call chicken piñata’s

But what I think you should try is a mirror. Chickens love to look at themselves in a mirror and will fight of it if it’s not big enough for all of them lol. If you put it out side of there coop they might go out to look at themselves. It’s just an idea so I’m not sure if it would work.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Toys aren't going to help here. They're not bored, they're confused, because something changed with the flock.

Give them some time to adjust to the change in the flock and they'll eventually settle into a new normal. Might be another week at least.

 

[aart]

Toys aren't going to help here. They're not bored, they're confused, because something changed with the flock.

Give them some time to adjust to the change in the flock and they'll eventually settle into a new normal. Might be another week at least.

Ditto Dat!

Can you post pics of your coop and run please @equivix ?