[MidlandBrewer]

Hi All,
I�ve been keeping chickens for a few months now, not only have they been a joy, they�ve also been very well behaved and problem free.
The last two nights however they�ve refused to go into their coop at night, I�ve changed nothing in the coop, there perches are in the same place, its clean, dry and pest free.
The food is the same during the day and there water is fresh�..

Could anyone suggest a reason why the ladies would stop going into the coop to sleep?
What makes it stranger is there still going in there during the day to lay�

I�m at an utter loss�
Please help 

[MidlandBrewer]

Thought id clarify as I didnt put it in the first post, there all huddling up together and sleeting under the coop at night....

[Sassy]

One of the reasons for this behaviour can be red mite in the coop. It is a bit late in the year for this though it has been mild - have I answered this before for you? Sorry if I am repeating myself. Try using some white paper/card and insert into cracks and crevices moving from side to side, if comes out red/brownpositive for red mite.

Are there any rodents getting entry at night, check for holes in ground and coop. Rats will knaw their way in.

I am assuming, and apologies if I'm stating the obvious, that it is darkish when you expect them to go in? 

[MidlandBrewer]

One of the reasons for this behaviour can be red mite in the coop. It is a bit late in the year for this though it has been mild - have I answered this before for you? Sorry if I am repeating myself. Try using some white paper/card and insert into cracks and crevices moving from side to side, if comes out red/brownpositive for red mite.

Are there any rodents getting entry at night, check for holes in ground and coop. Rats will knaw their way in.

I am assuming, and apologies if I'm stating the obvious, that it is darkish when you expect them to go in? 

Hej Sassy,

Ive given the coop a full inspection and there's no sign of redmite or rodent activity...
As far as I can tell there not going in at all, I went out last night at 23:00 (pitch black outside) and they were all sat together under the coop

Im very confused!

[Tom Parrot]

This may not be much help but, my three hens first used to sleep in the coop then they started to sleep on top of the coop and have done so ever since. Even during the winter at -5 degrees C. They do lay their eggs in the coop though.
So it may be they need access to the top of the coop?

[New shoot]

I thought the same as Sassy - red mite or rats, but if you have checked and eliminated them, it is a bit confusing why they have suddenly started this.


It may be something spooked them going in there one night and now a new tradition of sleeping under the house is the new thing.  The brain of a chicken is a small and generally confused space, once you get past the basics of food, preening and eggs 

Try putting a torch inside the house as it is getting dark.  The light generally attracts them in 

[Sassy]

I was going to suggest torch, beaten to it.

[MidlandBrewer]

I found Annabelle my black Cooper Maran dead in the run two days ago which upset me greatly, ever since all the girls have started sleeping in the coop again.... Do you think they sensed something was wrong?

[8doubles]

If the hen was high up in the pecking order they could well have stayed with her if she was poorly!

Most times though hens are ruthless and any weakness will be taken full advantage of even to the point of poultrycide !

[New shoot]

Sorry to hear about Annabelle    Its never nice when it happens but sometimes they just suddenly go. 

It may be she chose to roost under the coop and they followed her lead.  Like 8doubles says, hens can be very ruthless, but they do have bonds in a flock.  Once someone is gone, they move on very fast so hopefully they are back to normal now 

[mrsrobinson]

The others were keeping her company - I have noticed that with one or two of mine when they have been off colour. But they all put themselves to bed by 4.30 at the moment and don't come out until 7.30 - making up for all the hard work on the poultry farm!

[MidlandBrewer]

Thanks everyone.
One thing to note (not sure if its important) Annabelle was quite young, her sister Copper Maran was hatched only a few days apart.
Neither of them had layed an egg, 3 days after Annabelle died the other Copper Maran started laying..... Could Annabelle have been laying her first egg an got stressed out and had a heart attack???

Just a thought.....

[Sassy]

It's always possible especially being new to it and maybe all not straightforward but hens do sometimes just go for no reason obvious to us. They are very good at hiding illness. Sorry to hear about Annabelle it is hard losing one.