Will not go in their coop anymore

[rubyslippersnola]

Ive had my two girls for a year and they loved their coop until a few weeks ago. It is mite free, fresh hay and cleaned often, yes it is warm because im in the south. The heat didnt seem to keep them out of their coop last year. So, im at a loss. They are sleeping in the sofa on my back porch everynight unless i pick them up and move them. If i do move them, they carry on for a few minutes but then walk up into the hutch. Are they just spoiled? Ive got to break this habit, sofas are not for chickens and the mess is not for me.

They are also laying eggs in the yard now instead of their coop!

Help

 

[stoneeater]

Has something changed about their coop?
maybe a snake wandered through or some other critter.
Maybe the sofa is just really comfy.

 

[MSDeb]

We noticed our chickens had quit going to the back part of their pen which was odd because it is shady and there is a gigantic fig tree they usually perch all over. The pen is next to a garden which is fenced and netted similar to the pen. The other day dh was walking through the garden and found a (at least) three foot cotton mouth had gotten tangled up in the netting and was stinky dead. Once he removed it the birds returned to roosting on the fig tree.

You might try really checking out the coop to see what else might have moved in.