they're in the trees

[chickaboo7]

I have oegn banty Cochin's and japanese. Tonight I couldn't find them I was in a panic. I look up and there they were about 7 feet up in a tree. Is this safe? It's their first nite out of the shed. I was late in closing the door. Do chickens roost in trees? I saw wild turkeys in trees which was a pretty strange site. Why were my silkies not up there? Can silkies fly? I've never seen them fly not even my older ones. Should I get a ladder and get them down? I don't want anything to happen to them.

 

[Standard Hen]

A few of my spring batch of chicks decided they were going to do that this year. Not all of them but a few rebels. When dusk came I would go out to lock everyone in and they would already be up there and I had no way of getting them dowm nor did they want to. I lost two to predators (at night) so what I did was start leaving them in the pen for a couple of weeks (no free-ranging) and that seemed to solve the problem. From then on in they went into their coops to roost.

 

[rooster-red]

Roosting in trees makes them an easy meal for preditors.

 

[NewGuineaChooks]

The type of feather means that silkies don't have enough 'lift' to get off the ground with their wings.

 

[rosyposyosy]

awwwww. my banty cochin used to roost in a tree.... would freak out everytime.... now shes too heavy (haha!)

 

[silkiechicken]

Yeah, breaking that habit would be good because its dangerous for them to live up there. Easy food as stated earlier.

 

[Haviris]

I have one that always sleeps in a tree, and another one that occationally joins her.

 

[Dawn419]

You really should have a secure place for your birds to roost at night. Outside of the coop, in trees is just asking for trouble, in my opinion.

The main part of our flock is able to roost outdoors during the night, if they chose but we have them in what we consider to be a predator proof run . Only time, coyotes and coons will tell...

Dawn