Trouble getting 4 "teenage" hens to go in coop at night.

[annroberts54]

I have 3 hens that I raised up last summer, along with 1 rooster. Then this spring I raised up 4 more girls. It was such a warm spring that I started putting the new hens outside at about 8 weeks. It seemed that integrating the 2 sets of 4 went extremely well. The 2 flocks stay in the coop at night and although they stay separate, they are calm and seem happy.

But this last week I saw the first of the new chickens get mounted by the rooster. And that is when it all started to go downhill. Now, during the day, they all hang out pretty close to each other. But at night the new 4 have stopped going into the coop willingly. I have to get them from the roof of the coop and put them in one by one. I still never hear any fussing from inside the coop as I am getting them in. I keep telling my husband that they are acting like teenagers. Now that one of them has had sex, they all want to stay up late, run around and get into trouble.

But seriously, what is going on and how long is it all going to last. Cause it is cutting into my evening sauna time!

 

[FuzzyButtsFarm]

They are not quite ready to lay eggs yet. My new pullets did the same thing. I have 36+ hens and 1 roo in my laying flock. A roo generally get amorous in the morning and in the evening before they go to roost. The young pullets figured this out and dawdled when it came to going in at night to avoid his advances. I had two hide in the bushes one night and they spent the night out there. Didn't find out till the next morning when I saw them trying to get back into the run. Don't worry they do get over this and are more receptive of his attentions when they start to lay. Now they are just one of the girls.