Sudden Refusal to go Back In Coop

[britpop]

I have three hens (barred rock, bluebell & white star). They are my first.

When I got them 3 months ago they took to the coop almost immediately. They free range during the day and are back in the coop at dusk every single day. The only problem (and it is minor to me) is that they rarely, if ever, roost on the roosting bar.

Until two days ago.

I have a boughton design coop (an A frame where the coop area is above a small enclosed run). Two days ago for the first time the barred rock returned to the enclosed run area but, unlike the other two hens, refused to climb the ladder. I closed her into the run so she was safe and I kept checking later and later but there was no movement and she was content to squat on the ground. So I closed the ladder for the other two and left her for the night. She was fine in the morning and climbed the ladder during the free ranging day to lay in the nest box.

Then same thing happened last night. She refused to climb the ladder at night but returned to the run to sleep.

I fully expect her to lay again in the coop today but I am perplexed by this activity.

The coop is cleaned everyday, I cannot see any evidence of red mite anywhere and the other two hens are happy enough still.

Anyone come across something like this before?

 

[FeatheredFreind]

I have three hens (barred rock, bluebell & white star).  They are my first.

When I got them 3 months ago they took to the coop almost immediately.  They free range during the day and are back in the coop at dusk every single day.  The only problem (and it is minor to me) is that they rarely, if ever, roost on the roosting bar.

Until two days ago.

I have a boughton design coop (an A frame where the coop area is above a small enclosed run).  Two days ago for the first time the barred rock returned to the enclosed run area but, unlike the other two hens, refused to climb the ladder.  I closed her into the run so she was safe and I kept checking later and later but there was no movement and she was content to squat on the ground.  So I closed the ladder for the other two and left her for the night.  She was fine in the morning and climbed the ladder during the free ranging day to lay in the nest box.

Then same thing happened last night.  She refused to climb the ladder at night but returned to the run to sleep.

I fully expect her to lay again in the coop today but I am perplexed by this activity.

The coop is cleaned everyday, I cannot see any evidence of red mite anywhere and the other two hens are happy enough still.

Anyone come across something like this before?

I would physically put her in the coop so she knows that is where she is to sleep. Hopefully after a few night of doing this she will catch on again. Could it be that the other two hens are pecking at her when she trys to roost? I have a lot of that going on in my coop but my coop is big enough that eventually the hen being picked on will just find another place inside to roost. Good luck

 

[britpop]

Thanks Feathered.

Worked a treat, one night of placing her in the coop and she's been going up every night since. Except, last night I had to shoo her back into the run as she was looking to roost on a log outside again but she went up unbidden after that.

Thanks again.