starting to get really ticked off....

[SunkenRoadFarms]

Chickens usually huddle because they are cold and/or they are scared. Does the big barn door remain open at night or just a small pop door?

 

[lollipopguild]

Chickens usually huddle because they are cold and/or they are scared. Does the big barn door remain open at night or just a small pop door?

I'm not sure what you mean. I have a coop with a regular door. And then I have a barn with a sliding door. Neither buildings are connected to each other.

EDIT: the coop door remains open until I close it at night. It's the only door.

 

[lollipopguild]

Huddled together:

Older birds:

15 minutes after placing them on the roost they ran to another corner.

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

My apologies, for some reason I was thinking this was a sliding door. Does this big door on the front remain open at night?

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

Huddled together:

Older birds:

15 minutes after placing them on the roost they ran to another corner.

I think your best bet is two fold. Make a separate section for the new girls with their own roosts. This should help them feel more secure and start roosting. Second is close the large door at dusk each night. Something that large is definitely causing a draft and inviting unwanted visitors. A small pop or slide door large enough for your biggest bird will suffice. Ideally an automatic door would be best but not always feasible.

 

[lollipopguild]

I think your best bet is two fold. Make a separate section for the new girls with their own roosts. This should help them feel more secure and start roosting. Second is close the large door at dusk each night. Something that large is definitely causing a draft and inviting unwanted visitors. A small pop or slide door large enough for your biggest bird will suffice. Ideally an automatic door would be best but not always feasible.

No idea how I'm going to do that. Even with the door open, there's barely a draft. If there is one, it blows directly into the corner my turkey was dead in. The coop is blocked on every side except the north side which has half a fence and barn in front of it. Even with the biggest wind gusts, you can't feel anything back where the birds are. Not saying it couldn't be a problem, but the first flock I had survived the -45 wind chill last winter with the door frozen open.

Guess I'll try to figure out a partition.

 

[islandgirl82]

I think your best bet is two fold. Make a separate section for the new girls with their own roosts. This should help them feel more secure and start roosting. Second is close the large door at dusk each night. Something that large is definitely causing a draft and inviting unwanted visitors. A small pop or slide door large enough for your biggest bird will suffice. Ideally an automatic door would be best but not always feasible.

Yes. He already has the advantage of the wired partition and if there isn't a door there already, it would be simple enough to make one. I had also made the suggestion (not sure if he saw my post) that if that isn't something he can do, if he at least has a couple of pet crates, to put them in the coop and close a couple little ones in each at night so there aren't so many in one place that they're squashing each other.

 

[lollipopguild]

Yes.  He already has the advantage of the wired partition and if there isn't a door there already, it would be simple enough to make one.  I had also made the suggestion (not sure if he saw my post) that if that isn't something he can do, if he at least has a couple of pet crates, to put them in the coop and close a couple little ones in each at night so there aren't so many in one place that they're squashing each other. 

The crate is the most feasible option.

 

[SunkenRoadFarms]

No idea how I'm going to do that. Even with the door open, there's barely a draft. If there is one, it blows directly into the corner my turkey was dead in. The coop is blocked on every side except the north side which has half a fence and barn in front of it. Even with the biggest wind gusts, you can't feel anything back where the birds are. Not saying it couldn't be a problem, but the first flock I had survived the -45 wind chill last winter with the door frozen open.

Guess I'll try to figure out a partition.

A roll of chicken wire will go a long way, just stretch it between a corner. Chances are you'll have to put the birds in manually a few nights, so you can just leave on side temporarily wired so you can pull it back for them to come and go. Really the goal is to just give them their own roosts, which will likely boost their confidence and help them integrate better.

 

[islandgirl82]

A roll of chicken wire will go a long way, just stretch it between a corner. Chances are you'll have to put the birds in manually a few nights, so you can just leave on side temporarily wired so you can pull it back for them to come and go. Really the goal is to just give them their own roosts, which will likely boost their confidence and help them integrate better.

x2