two of my hens are sleeping in the trees

[Johnn]

two of my hens are sleeping in the trees and its getting cold what should i do?

 

[CherryChick]

It is their natural instinct to sleep in trees. I think it is rather cute when they do get in a tree. I would just make sure you herd them into their coop/run area right as the sun starts setting. So then you dont have to worry about them.

Or if you mean they are in the tree as we speak. Nothing a little shake wont help.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Can you try to get them before they fly in the trees? Put them in their coop and lock them up with food and water for a few days so that they will know where "home" is.

 

[Johnn]

they no the shed is home but they perfer trees and i cant egt theme before they fly up they are wild they floy the 3 meter fence so i have to run around then by the time i get there they are in the tree so i scare them down they fly fown climb through the fence run abck around to the shed area then when i go back they are straight over the fence and back in the tree, i dont mind it i just dont want them to die of coldness

 

[TrystInn]

We had the same issue here, here's what we did:

a) we started giving them a bit of scratch in the coop every evening to encourage them to go inside, then when they did, we shut them in.

b) we cut off the lower branches of the trees and moved the items they were using to get up into the tree. It was one of those wood pile to shed roof, to tree branch kind of maneuvers.

Good luck!

 

[Johnn]

my lowest branch is about two and a half meteres hight and they just fly up they dont get on anything they are just straight up. I wouldnt really acre if i know they wont die of being freezing and also we have stoats now so adleat if they come they will be in the tree hidden

 

[sourland]

Johnn, the cold will not kill them, but they are very vulnerable to predators when roosting in the tree. I am not sure what types of predators you have to deal with, but here in the states GHO, raccoons, bobcats, fishers, and others prey upon roosting chickens.

 

[pinkwindsong]

o9h my gosh you are not alone.. I have 3 TREE HUGGERS. all EEs they are so smart too.. they have figured out when I go out int he evening to give goodies that the next time I come out is for bed time.. so they get their goodies and as soon as I turn my back up the tree they go.. and they get so high I cant grab them and they figured out to go even higher after I got a long empty tiki torch bamboo thingy.. i put them int he coop.. and they still go for the tree.. they know that the food and water and nest box is inside the coop. but they still insist on tree hugging... I try to switch it up on the them so they dont know when im gonna grab them and put them up long before everyone else and close them in..

 

[dandydoodle]

I wouldn't worry about them in the day if they want to roost in the trees I say let them. I would just make sure you get them back in the coop for bed so predators don't get them. If you are having trouble getting them in at night use a treat they like. I take out a tortilla shells when it starts to get a little dark and flap it around and call my girls and walk to the coop. All my girls chase me into the coop to get their treat and I lock them in. Works every time. Good luck.

 

[Davian]

I dont like to do it with free range birds as its cuts down on their ability to flee danger but...you could clip their wing feathers so they cant fly up that high. They'll still be able to perch and do little flying hops but it'll end their forays over high fences and into trees.