Young rooster won't sleep inside

[chickpack2024]

Hi chicken keepers! I have 9 chickens. 2 older hens (over 2 years), 6 pullets (17-19 weeks old) and 1 19 week-old rooster.

I have a "safe" coop that the chickens sleep in. It's not that large (maybe about 18 sq. feet, but has 3 rows of 2x4s--plenty of room for sleeping). They have a very large run, a space under the coop, and a secondary run I put them in sometimes, but for sleeping they just have that one place that is secure. We have talked about making a new or larger coop, but it's expensive to make a secure one, so we haven't done it yet.

They all have a little time in the afternoon for free-ranging.

My 18 week old rooster/cockerel does not go into the coop with the hens at sunset. All 8 go to sleep (some of them insist on sleeping in the nesting boxes, which I don't love) and he stays outside, even in the rain. I just had to run out at 8pm and put him in the coop with the rest of them (we do this every night, he tries to roost on top of the coop, which isn't safe).

Is there anything I can do besides expand the coop? It looks like so much room in there. The older chickens just go right in and get on a bar.

I thought I should add that the 2 older hens tend to bully him, and that could be part of his reluctance.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hi. In order to keep bullying, feather pecking and other behavior problems to a minimum, it's recommemded to provide at least 4 sq ft of floor space per chicken in the coop they sleep in. An 18 sq ft coop by this standard is big enough for about 4 chickens. I'm sorry but you're very overpopulated for the space you're providing, and that's the reason for your problem. The hens bullying him is what's keeping him out of the coop.

How far apart are the roosts? Probably not far apart enough to give the cockerel room to have a safe space to himself. You may need to rehome him until you have a bigger coop.