Why dont they com back at night!

[nfrost]

We have about 20 chickens and for the last week half or more have been sleeping in the trees in the yard, why is it they been in the coop for awhile now, but just decided to start sleeping in the trees, they are fine, nothing will get them, but should i let them do taht till winter comes and they will come back in? there to high for me to go grab them, do i need to add roosts that are higher off the ground for them to come back or waht?

 

[epeloquin]

I would not want them sleeping in the trees. The more they do it the more they will get used to it and it will be harder to break them. Chickens like to roost high off the ground, thus their sleeping in the trees. I would make sure their roost is well off the ground. I have a roost in their coop plus their coop is elevated which puts their night roost over 4' off the ground and I have never had trouble with my girls at night. Around sunset they all go into the run on their own, up into the coop and to roost. I never have to do anything. I also have a day roost they will use when they want to during the day. It is funny because they never use the roost in the coop during the day, only at night.

 

[silkiechicken]

The only time I had chickens decide to go sleep in the trees was when a racoon opened the coop latch and killed half... I did get most back into the coop but a few were so stubborn they eventually also got taken out of the trees by a coon in the night. This was probably 10 years ago or so and since then everything has been re-inforced and.

 

[epeloquin]

That is a definite case in point. There's reason enough to keep them out of the trees. I live in a fairly suburban area and while I have never seen raccoons I am not foolish enough to think that they are not around.