Raising chickens in your backyard can be very rewarding, but what’s a chicken lover to do when you have a hen who just won’t cooperate? It’s not so easy to reason with a chicken, but if you’re having a tough time getting your chicken to roost in its coop, Cackle Hatchery has a few suggestions for you.
Chickens that don’t roost in their coops at night are vulnerable to predators, like hawks and wolves. It’s important to fix the problem soon, so that you can rest easy knowing your chickens are safe. Plus, having an uncooperative flock can make raising chickens safely far more difficult.
If one of your young chickens is not roosting in the coop, it could be as simple as this: maybe she doesn’t know where it is, or understand that it’s home!
It may take some time before your young chicken understands where she’s supposed to go to sleep, but perseverance is key. Introducing a young chicken to a new coop may take a few tries. One of the most effective methods is to let young chickens spend three or four days inside the coop (if the weather cooperates and isn’t too hot), before you let them roam free in your yard. After some quality coop time, your chickens will come to think of the coop as their home, and they’ll want to roost there at night to feel safe.
If a chicken you’ve had for a while is suddenly starts refusing to roost in the coop, it probably means that your coop needs a good cleaning. Would you want to live inside a smelly house? Your chickens don’t want to, either! Make sure to regularly clean the coop, and ensure that it’s strong and sturdy so your chickens will be protected from predators.
If you have a clean coop but your chickens are still refusing to roost, there could be another problem – tension among the flock. If you suspect this is the problem, make sure you are providing all your birds with enough food and water. If a couple of your chickens are always fighting over a spot when it’s time to feed, it could have lasting residual effects on the well-being of the flock.
And that’s today’s news from the Cackle Coop!
I have 2 hens and they both were sleeping on the roost just fine, but lately when I check on them the dominant hen is on the roost and the other is on the floor. Anyway I can get the bully to let the other on the roost?