Won't go into coop!

[Rebel Chicken]

What I have as shelter for my two chickens is a plastic barrel with wood shavings in it. It's held firmly and doesn't move. Their run is about 5 ft. tall and has no top. There is a tree right above them and at night they fly into the tree for the night. Well, now that it's getting into the 30's at night I fear for them not being warm enough. Why won't they go in their barrel? Won't they freeze?

 

[picklespickles]

i have some that ignore the shelter and sleep in the trees, too. others who don't. they seem fine to me. but then i am not the type to go climb a tree and get a chicken. lol. sounds to me like they are following nature and keeping themselves safe at night. in my experience, flying chickens have a longer life than their non flying counterparts. but other people would go get them out. so everyone's different.

 

[paganfish]

I read on here - somewhere - that if the birds are not going into the shelter it is probably because of mites? Did you check to see if there is any evidence of mites? They come out at night and feast on the birds...hence, not going into the shelter at night.

 

[jackiedon]

I have some that refuse to go in at night. They start roosting early. I tried to get them down but they go higher in the trees. I have others from that same coop that go into the coop every night so I don't have a clue.

jackie

 

[Rebel Chicken]

Yeah, if I go after the chickens they just go higher into the tree. Oh well, I fear for them, but I guess they are ok. As far mites. I sprayed for mites and check the chickens often for them.

 

[paganfish]

Quote:
OH OK...kewl. Just suggestion.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

If you really don't want them to roost in the trees you could always put a tarp or something on top of the run so they can't and maybe they will use their coop then.

 

[wagsnwhiskers3]

Mine wouldn't go into the beautiful coop I made for them either. I had to carry them in there at night when they were sleeping on the ground. After 4 nights, they started going in there themselves.

 

[lurky]

I would bet the chickens are going to the trees for safety. A barrel on the ground is not a coop and they would be sitting ducks for any predators in the night. A chickens instinct is to roost up as high as they can get to be safe and out of reach. The barrel might seem like a shelter in your eyes, but they are looking for a safe place to spend the night and on the ground is not safe.

 

[MamaSue]

I have a chick-n-hutch for my four hens and they were going into it at dusk every night and I would close the door till morning. They are 23 weeks old (no eggs yet) and now they are sleeping on the top of the hutch. The hutch is inside a pen that has a tarp over it, but I would think they would feel warmer in the hutch. It was really cold the other night and rainy and they still did not go in. If I pick one up and put her in, then by the time I got the other one in, the first one would be out. Any tricks to getting them in. With the shorter days, I don't get home from work till after dark.