What's the deal, I don't understand!!

[countrygirl4513]

Lately I've noticed my Cochins, now 7 wks old, are sleeping outside their house. They bunch together and sleep on an old picnic bench. I can't figure out why. I've checked the house for rats and snakes and find nothing. They will go in and out during the day but won't sleep in there. I tried turning the light back on since they seem to be sleeping where they are in view of our big security light. But that didn't encourage them to go back in. Anyone have any ideas? We are having warm night temps here, but I've never had chickens sleep out under the stars like this. Any imput would be helpful.

 

[CarriBrown]

There are a couple things you can try. One is putting some scratch in their coop at roosting time. They'll go in for the treats and hopefully get the hint.
The other thing is to physically put them in the coop at roosting time. We have to do that for one of our Silkies that just doesn't "get it"!

 

[Napalongtail]

Well ya did good turning the light back on, but now you're gonna have to make them go back in. Silly chickens every now and then they go back to being wild birds and think they can sleep outside.

 

[JamesC]

When you start to let young chicks out they have to be trained to know where they should be at night. At 7 weeks they only know that they sleep together in a group. They don't understand the risks like you do.
Put them in at dust for a while to get them into the habit and they'll soon catch on.

James

 

[hencackle]

They're teenagers, asserting their individuality! I had 2 Ameraucanas that insisted in roosting in the black walnut tree. For about a week, I had to climb the ladder and retrieve them...they didn't know they were owl-bait.
Stephanie

 

[countrygirl4513]

They haven't always done this. They were sleeping inside all the time. All of a sudden they stay out. Since they were 2 wks old they have been out in the house. They go in during the day but not at night. They all had it figured out up until 4 nights ago when they decided to stay under the stars. They are completely fenced in so what would it hurt to let them sleep out?

 

[countrygirl4513]

Update on my outside sleepers. They are still doing it. I can't figure why unless the weather is so comfortable to them. They will stay in the house during the day but they won't go in to roost at night. I'm at a loss to figure this one out.

 

[silkiechicken]

As long as they are safe at night, let them be. Some birds just like the outdoors. Is their preferred outside sleeping space a higher perch than their indoor space? This may be the reason they like it outside, they want to roost high.

 

[countrygirl4513]

no they have a variety of perchs and heights to choose from inside. but they are roosting on an old picnic table bench. next to the chicken house. for the life of me and in all the years i have raised chickens i have never had any of them do this.

 

[countrygirl4513]

well here we go... I have to wonder if I have mentally challenged chickens. Last night it rained... I mean Noahs flood and there are my chickens... sitting underneath that picnic table bench.. soaked thru to their crops. They were just sitting there suffering when they could have gone in the house. But they didn't and they wouldn't! I garbed myself in rain gear and went out there and took that picnic table bench away from them. They just stood there like idiots!!! So I physically put them in the house, turned on their light so they could dry out and LOCKED them in!!!! They were all fine this morning, so I can now assume that there are no snakes or rats or boogie men that they are afraid of in that house. So, someone please explain to me why my chickens don't have the sense to come out of the rain?