Some nights they go in, some nights they stay out

[ChristinaBee]

Hello! I’m looking for some advice. I have 6 hens, all about 1.5 years old. I live in upstate NY and it has been a cold winter, often reaching negative numbers at night. Almost every night I have to put a few chickens inside the coop at night. How can I get them to all go inside? It’s always a different combination of who goes in and/or stays out. For a few months they all went in every night. But then when I put a tree roost in the run this issue started happening.

 

[SueT]

Is there only the one roost? Sometimes it helps to add dividers, they can be makeshift cardboard, wood, even a feed bag. Sometimes lower pecking order birds aren't allowed to roost, and this might help. It helped my flock.
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[ChristinaBee]

Is there only the one roost? Sometimes it helps to add dividers, they can be makeshift cardboard, wood, even a feed bag. Sometimes lower pecking order birds aren't allowed to roost, and this might help. It helped my flock.
.View attachment 2976609View attachment 2976611

That’s a good idea. I do only have one 8ft long roost in the coop so there’s room to put in dividers. I have considered making a second roost as well. I noticed you have a tree branch as one of your roost. Do you think they enjoy that one better then the 2x4?

 

[SueT]

That’s a good idea. I do only have one 8ft long roost in the coop so there’s room to put in dividers. I have considered making a second roost as well. I noticed you have a tree branch as one of your roost. Do you think they enjoy that one better then the 2x4?

I took that photo a few years back and we have replaced that branch w a 2X4 as the bark was coming off and I was concerned about mites getting in behind the bark. They didn’t seem to notice the difference. They seem to like 2x4’s just fine.

 

[aart]

Take the roosts out of the run.

 

[3KillerBs]

Chickens like to roost as high as possible.

Lower the roost in the run below the level of the roost in the coop.

Also,

How big is the coop and how many feet of roost is there in it?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Take the roosts out of the run.

Bingo!

 

[ChristinaBee]

Chickens like to roost as high as possible.

Lower the roost in the run below the level of the roost in the coop.

Also,

How big is the coop and how many feet of roost is there in it?

The coop is 8x6ft with 6 foot high walls. There is only one 8 ft long roost. It’s about 3 ft from the the floor of the coop.

 

[ChristinaBee]

Take the roosts out of the run.

Aw darn. I was having some feather picking issues when I didn’t have the extra roost in the run, so I’m concerned about removing them. I wonder if I were to remove just the higher level roost if that would help the situation.

 

[aart]

Aw darn. I was having some feather picking issues when I didn’t have the extra roost in the run, so I’m concerned about removing them. I wonder if I were to remove just the higher level roost if that would help the situation.

Any roost higher than the one in the coop will be attractive.