Strange behavior

[Msmagic]

Hello, I hope everyone is doing well. I need some help! I have 2 grown hens and they all of a sudden have decided to sleep outside of their coop. They coop is predator safe. I cleaned out their coop, sprayed for mites and put fresh chips down thinking maybe it was too messy but I keep up on it so it really wasn't bad. I did put sand down in their run a few days ago, I thought maybe that was it one night so the next day I left them in their run longer to get more used to it. Last night the girls went to bed finally in their coop again. Today they were playing in the sand and acting normal but when it came time for bed they were outside in the yard again in the rain... idk what to do, everything is cleaned, I've done a permethrin 10 treatment on the sand and in the coop. Any advice?

I have been putting them in their coop for the past week ( aside from last night they were in on their own). Picture of coop and run with sand.

I will add it did rain this evening and made the sand right inside the entry way wet just before bed.. could the wet sand be the reason they didn't want to go in? If they would have taken a few more steps inside it's completely dry.

 

[nuthatched]

Is there enough light and ventilation?
Any sign of mice?

 

[Msmagic]

Is there enough light and ventilation?
Any sign of mice?

No mice and yes plenty of ventilation. It has two side windows and one big window in the front completely secure with (I forget the exact name but I call it chicken cloth).

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

Oh goodness, this just sounds like normal chicken behavior to me lol! They can be such goofballs. It could be something in the coop but it could also just be that they've decided they want to be outside. Silly things, they don't always know what's best for them.

Do you have perches in the run? If so take those down. Keep locking them in the coop at night or keep them solely in the coop for a week or so and they might get the hint, or you may end up doing like I did and simply enclose the run to suit them.

PS I eventually built another run. So far that one has stayed day-use only haha!

 

[Msmagic]

Oh goodness, this just sounds like normal chicken behavior to me lol! They can be such goofballs. It could be something in the coop but it could also just be that they've decided they want to be outside. Silly things, they don't always know what's best for them.

Do you have perches in the run? If so take those down. Keep locking them in the coop at night and they might get the hint, or you may end up doing like I did and simply enclose the run to suit them.

PS I eventually built another run. So far that one has stayed day-use only haha!

Thank you! I have one long roost for them in the coop, it's just the two of them for now. I truly thought they were just mad I put sand in the run the first couple of days and when they went in on their own last night I was relieved they forgave me. Haha, well I guess not, maybe it was because it was wet and they aren't used to that. I will keep putting them in until they realize they are just fine. It's been no issue for 8 months lol.

 

[Rose the Legbar]

I’ve been fighting a similar battle with the same two chickens for a year now A year ago, my flock all revolted and didnt go in the coop. Cleaned the coop thoroughly, didn’t help. It’s been a battle but every night I have to go out there and put them up. For the first time in a long, long while, they all went up! For only two days… then they went back to their normal spots on the outside perches. Just keep putting them up, it should work unless you have not very bright chickens (in my case, my salmon faverolles, they are not bright at all).

 

[MapleLaurelFarms]

@Msmagic @Rose the Legbar Simply remove all perches where you don't want them roosting overnight. I swear that's a game changer. I'm a decades long chick owner and can attest to how well this works. Never another roost in the run for my hens! Lesson learned.

 

[Rose the Legbar]

@Msmagic @Rose the Legbar Simply remove all perches where you don't want them roosting overnight. I swear that's a game changer. I'm a decades long chick owner and can attest to how well this works. Never another roost in the run for my hens! Lesson learned.

The perches my girls fancy is a support cross beam and their coop doorway My girls really do enjoy the perches to get away from the other birds that may be harassing them and they would just use the floor if they couldn’t get up at night My salmon faverolles are just, that dumb to do something like that.

 

[Msmagic]

I locked them in their run today because of severe weather, they went into their coop like normal at bed time. Hopefully we are on the road back to normal