Hurricane flipped coop, now chickens wont sleep in nesting area at night.

[rjg3rjg]

So Hurricane Helene came through our town in SC. Destroyed alot, including flipping my 1000 pound chicken coop while my chickens were in their sleeping/nesting area. Luckily it wasnt TERRIBLY damaged. But it Killed 2, trapped 1, and flung the other 2 out. Leaving them vulnerable for the next few hours. The 3 survivors were not harmed much if at all. But I'm POSITIVE it was very traumatizing. Now, they'll go in the run at night (they're free range during the day). They'll even go in the nesting area to lay eggs. But they will NOT stay in the nesting area. It's now getting down into the low 30s at night. Lower soon. Im afraid they would rather freeze to death instead of going into their heated nesting box now because it was so traumatizing. What should I do? I love my chickens and my whole family is upset enough about losing 2. What can I do?? PLEASE HELP!!!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Wait till they are asleep, pick them up, move them back in. You may have to repeat for each of the next several nights.

Chickens are prey animals, they fear change. Having a coop flipped is... change.

They will quickly return to normal behaviors.

 

[rjg3rjg]

Wait till they are asleep, pick them up, move them back in. You may have to repeat for each of the next several nights.

Chickens are prey animals, they fear change. Having a coop flipped is... change.

They will quickly return to normal behaviors.

Thank you for the reply! However I'm unable to get close without them waking because of the coop set up. I have However been picking them up and putting them in. But they just keep coming out. It hasn't helped yet. Should I not l et them free range for a few days? What else would you suggest?

 

[bill3607]

Thank you for the reply! However I'm unable to get close without them waking because of the coop set up. I have However been picking them up and putting them in. But they just keep coming out. It hasn't helped yet. Should I not l et them free range for a few days? What else would you suggest?

I assume they are grown since you didn't say otherwise. So, rest assured that they will not freeze to death in the 30's. They can handle much lower temps than that. You are in South Carolina so it will probably still be awhile before it gets any colder than that, and I doubt these 30's are going to be around long and it will be back warmer.

Chickens do get traumatized over things, but they usually bounce back pretty quickly. They will probably get back to going inside soon enough.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Wait until full dark before putting them in the coop. If they can't see, they will stay put. And once they wake up safe and sound in their old digs a few mornings, they will realize it can be trusted again.

"Free ranging" at night is a huge gamble. They're "sitting ducks" (pardon the pun) for any predators prowling around at night. For chickens, it's just not safe.

 

[rjg3rjg]

Wait until full dark before putting them in the coop. If they can't see, they will stay put. And once they wake up safe and sound in their old digs a few mornings, they will realize it can be trusted again.

"Free ranging" at night is a huge gamble. They're "sitting ducks" (pardon the pun) for any predators prowling around at night. For chickens, it's just not safe.

Wait until full dark before putting them in the coop. If they can't see, they will stay put. And once they wake up safe and sound in their old digs a few mornings, they will realize it can be trusted again.

"Free ranging" at night is a huge gamble. They're "sitting ducks" (pardon the pun) for any predators prowling around at night. For chickens, it's just not safe.

They dont free range at night. Only during the day. When darkness falls they go into the run and I lock the door. It's just they would rather sleep on the cold ground in the run instead of go in their heated nesting area at night now that the storm has past.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

They dont free range at night. Only during the day. When darkness falls they go into the run and I lock the door. It's just they would rather sleep on the cold ground in the run instead of go in their heated nesting area at night now that the storm has past.

So the run is predator proof? That's good. I would still take @U_Stormcrow's advice and put them in manually. He has a ton of experience and is also a respected Educator, as indicated by the black "tag" next to his name.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

and for what little it may be worth, I let mine sleep outside when they want - of course, I don't get as cold as you do - but even when we were mid teens last year, about 1/3 of my birds preferred sleeping on their coop to in one of them.

Sudden temp changes can be challenging to them, but more gradual changes are something they readily acclimate too.

and given the suddenness of the coop getting flipped, I would continue to wait till they are sleeping then manually place them in the coop for a few more evenings. Then leave it up to them.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

As a final note, and thank you @BigBlueHen53 , yes I have a [BYC Educator] tag. I like to believe it was earned mostly for my knowledge about how to feed our little dinosaurs.

I know a bit about coop building, a bit about architecture, a bit about zoning - all from doing it in the "real world", various jobs over the years.

Chicken behaviors is my weakest subject, of those I routinely comment on. My advice is based on 4 1/2 years, with flock sizes from 20 to near 100, various breeds, but mostly barnyard mutts. If it has value to you, please make use of it. But understand the limits of my experience - "BYC Educator" doesn't mean I always have the best opinion, just an honest one of sometimes value.

Very best w/ your birds!

 

[WaterfowlsPoultry]

On the same boat as you, My run area of my coop was damaged by trees falling on it and the intense winds, One of the branches hit my hen and when we pulled it out there was a large wound and her feathers were missing, Another branch trapped my 3 chicks and we had to lift the large parts of the trees to free them, They made a full recovery. I am a bit curious if anybody else was damaged by Hurricane helene.