This snake killed a chick! Now they won't roost in the coop!

[McGill]

This snake was in our coop last night and he killed one of our 7 week old chicks. Now the rest of the chickens wanted to roost outside tonight. I went ahead and put them in the coop one by one. Will they learn to go back in the coop at night? Is it normal for them to want to roost in a separate place after a predator attack?

We did fortify the corrugated roof panels where we think he got in, so we're pretty comfortable that they're safe now.

 

[Tonyroo]

Definitely make sure the coop is secure. The chicks are in shock and afraid. Give them time to adjust it will require your presence when it's ready for there bed time. You need to be repetitive with your presence to reassure them that things will be ok. And after sometime they will be comfortable going into there coop by themselves.

 

[MortyschickenShack]

This snake was in our coop last night and he killed one of our 7 week old chicks. Now the rest of the chickens wanted to roost outside tonight. I went ahead and put them in the coop one by one. Will they learn to go back in the coop at night? Is it normal for them to want to roost in a separate place after a predator attack?

We did fortify the corrugated roof panels where we think he got in, so we're pretty comfortable that they're safe now.

If you can watch the snake if they are inside a coop get its attention then watch where it tries to escape. Lot of times they will use the same way they got in and it will show you where the weak point is.