Bed time Nightmare!!!

[jetmek94]

I have a 2 year old Easter Egger who make bed time so stressful. She has four other sisters who go in the coop find a spot settle down on the roosts. Then she comes in ugh! She can't settle and gets everyone all stirred up! It's a mad house. The whole story. 3 Easter eggers are 2 years old and 2 Black Australop hens who are one year old and have grown up in a beautiful wooden coop which can house 10 chickens. The Easter eggers grew up sleeping in The omlet coop. When I added 4 more chickens the omet was not large enough. So I had a larger coop custom built. I had to have them sleep separate. I originally had 2 Bielefelder hens which I recently lost for unknown reasons. They did not transition well with the Easter eggers due to there docile nature. Lesson learned for me. So they slept separate and reunited in the morning. Free ranging in a large fenced in area. Without the Bielefelde's I want to down size to one coop and have everyone in the large wooden coop. I like to put them to bed, but good lord! I did not get the Omlet run door closed in time this evening and found two had put themselves to bed in the Omlet after they have been going to bed in the big coop for two weeks now. Blondie the trouble maker cause the same problem in the Omlet as well. I hate bed time because she does this. I do stand at the back of the coop with the doors open until everyone is settled and close up after Blonde finally sits still on the roost. It feels like it take for ever and I want to go inside. I have already spent most of the day with them while I working on projects in the yard. What should I do. I seems silly to have 2 chicken in such a big beautiful coop. Advice please!

 

[WhiteCollarWeezy]

I have a 2 year old Easter Egger who make bed time so stressful. She has four other sisters who go in the coop find a spot settle down on the roosts. Then she comes in ugh! She can't settle and gets everyone all stirred up! It's a mad house. The whole story. 3 Easter eggers are 2 years old and 2 Black Australop hens who are one year old and have grown up in a beautiful wooden coop which can house 10 chickens. The Easter eggers grew up sleeping in The omlet coop. When I added 4 more chickens the omet was not large enough. So I had a larger coop custom built. I had to have them sleep separate. I originally had 2 Bielefelder hens which I recently lost for unknown reasons. They did not transition well with the Easter eggers due to there docile nature. Lesson learned for me. So they slept separate and reunited in the morning. Free ranging in a large fenced in area. Without the Bielefelde's I want to down size to one coop and have everyone in the large wooden coop. I like to put them to bed, but good lord! I did not get the Omlet run door closed in time this evening and found two had put themselves to bed in the Omlet after they have been going to bed in the big coop for two weeks now. Blondie the trouble maker cause the same problem in the Omlet as well. I hate bed time because she does this. I do stand at the back of the coop with the doors open until everyone is settled and close up after Blonde finally sits still on the roost. It feels like it take for ever and I want to go inside. I have already spent most of the day with them while I working on projects in the yard. What should I do. I seems silly to have 2 chicken in such a big beautiful coop. Advice please!

sounds to me that she is the most dominant of all your hens and wants it to be known. Like a mean girl or a bully no offense. Does she roost in the same spot every night? Do one of the other hens occupy that spot until she pitches a fight? Does she lay an egg right before bedtime? Anything make her nervous inside her roost? Maybe a rooster mice bugs? other than the other hens?

 

[WhiteCollarWeezy]

pitches a fit

 

[rosemarythyme]

Photos of the coop, especially the roost area? How many roosts and how long are they? If more than one roost, how far apart are the roosts or how are they configured?

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

I have a 2 year old Easter Egger who make bed time so stressful. She has four other sisters who go in the coop find a spot settle down on the roosts. Then she comes in ugh! She can't settle and gets everyone all stirred up! It's a mad house. The whole story. 3 Easter eggers are 2 years old and 2 Black Australop hens who are one year old and have grown up in a beautiful wooden coop which can house 10 chickens. The Easter eggers grew up sleeping in The omlet coop. When I added 4 more chickens the omet was not large enough. So I had a larger coop custom built. I had to have them sleep separate. I originally had 2 Bielefelder hens which I recently lost for unknown reasons. They did not transition well with the Easter eggers due to there docile nature. Lesson learned for me. So they slept separate and reunited in the morning. Free ranging in a large fenced in area. Without the Bielefelde's I want to down size to one coop and have everyone in the large wooden coop. I like to put them to bed, but good lord! I did not get the Omlet run door closed in time this evening and found two had put themselves to bed in the Omlet after they have been going to bed in the big coop for two weeks now. Blondie the trouble maker cause the same problem in the Omlet as well. I hate bed time because she does this. I do stand at the back of the coop with the doors open until everyone is settled and close up after Blonde finally sits still on the roost. It feels like it take for ever and I want to go inside. I have already spent most of the day with them while I working on projects in the yard. What should I do. I seems silly to have 2 chicken in such a big beautiful coop. Advice please!

They will get their pecking order lined out. Just room then together and give them time. They'll settle in. I have the same issue every time i intro new flock members. It takes mine about a week, then they calm down and find their happy spot.

 

[aart]

I've spent many hours observing the RoostTimeRumble.
It can indeed be chaotic, but they work it out in the end.
But I do have plenty of space in coop and on roosts.
It's not up to me to manage, they know how to chicken,
now I just go out after dark to lock up.

 

[MommyGirl]

That roost time rumble is a mess so I choose not to watch it anymore either. After all is settled and after dark I make sure everyone is in. I used to stand there and watch but it’s just ridiculous

 

[LaFleche]

I want to down size to one coop and have everyone in the large wooden coop

As you want to downsize anyway, you could just find her a new home if she does not stop the drama.

 

[Ridgerunner]

As long as no one is getting injured I leave them alone. They have preferred roosting locations. They all seem to want the same one. The most dominant one will claim it, sometimes using force, sometimes intimidation. They can get along great during the day and still go through this every night as they are settling in.

This probably bothers you a lot more than it does the hens. If it bothers you that much get rid of her. You and your peace of mind are important too. Solve for peace in the flock, including what s peaceful to you. But don't be too surprised if the next dominant chicken does something similar.

Photos of the coop, especially the roost area? How many roosts and how long are they? If more than one roost, how far apart are the roosts or how are they configured?

I agree with this.

in a beautiful wooden coop which can house 10 chickens.

This doesn't tell us how big it is or how it is laid out. It is always possible we will see something that might help.

 

[jetmek94]

I took everyone’s advice. I closed the window door and one side of the nesting area. Then went to work cleaning up the yard. My sweet little girl Vee followed me around the yard. She followed me to the nesting area. Everyone was in there spot. I feared her finally going to bed would start the whole nightmare process going. To my surprise everyone remained calm including my trouble maker. Thank goodness!! lol I will not get rid of my nighttime trouble maker Blonde. She was attacked in my old coop by a raccoon. The raccoon killed her sister and ripped her wing off. I kept her comfortable expecting the worst. She survived the Thanksgiving holiday until the bird vet returned to the office. I could not put down and her wing was amputated. She made a full recovery and is a normal chicken a bit bitchy at times and I guess has some PTSD about going to bed! lol I will keep working on it. I have spent many hours raising friendly chickens who enjoy being handled by humans. I have included pics of my coop and the space they are in until I get home from work. They then free range with me on the rest of my property. Blonde is the white Easter egger in the photo. I will be keeping the omelet for a bit as I’m considering adding to the flock. That will be my transition space for the new hens and a quarantine space for any bullies. Thanks for taking the time to respond!!