Our chickens are allowed to free range after I get home from work. I leave the coop door open and they put themselves to bed and I shut the door. Recently (in the past week or two) our frazzle hen Fancy stays out all night. I worry about her, but every morning she is waiting outside the coop. What do I do? I dont know where she goes at night, we've looked and never been able to find her. She has always been a loner, sleeps in the corner of the coop on the floor (when in the coop).
Perhaps she's getting pecked on and doesn't get let in anymore? Keep an eye on them and see where she roosts as night falls. Else lock all up for a few days to a week to "retrain them". Good Luck!
We have a loner too and she is smaller than most, so we don't let her OUT. Sure way to keep her in. And she doesn't seem to mind a bit. She is the only one that isn't afraid of the rabbit.
Quote:Doesnt seem to be getting picked on. Tuesday evening I caught her and put her in the dog crate until the others went to bed and then I put her back in the coop. I didnt let them out yesterday because of the lovely WA weather and doent look they will be free ranging today either unless it clears up. Hopefully she will get the idea that the coop is where she needs to sleep.
I had that problem a while back only to find that 2 very large snakes had set up resedence in one of the nest boxes.and when I found them they we're mating and had made themselves right at home.killed and removed them chickens went back home
Check her for mites, too. Sometimes you don't notice a problem as early as your chickens do. If the place she usually beds down in the coop is infested with them, she could be avoiding it to avoid more mites crawling on her at night.