hens sleeping out

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samuria

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hens sleeping out
« on: September 17, 2018, 23:15 »
2 of my bantams have now started to roost in the conifer tree in there run ???
only started a couple of days ago, the hen house is clean and dry and lots of perch space etc..
so why are they sleeping out so to speak :unsure:

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New shoot

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Re: hens sleeping out
« Reply #1 on: September 18, 2018, 09:00 »
It might be worth doing a close inspection of the coop to check for red mite.  If that draws a blank, it could just be what they want to do.

Some hens do like sleeping out if there is a suitable tree available, so its nothing you have done.  If they are secure in the run, there isn't really a problem.  They cope with all kinds of weather usually, but you might find they do retreat to the coop in snow or heavy rain  :)


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samuria

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Re: hens sleeping out
« Reply #2 on: September 18, 2018, 09:58 »
no red mite in the coop. mine is steam cleaned regular.
when i hatched them they all used the coop, now just the 2 tree hens :ohmy:
thanks new shoot for the reply ;)

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8doubles

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Re: hens sleeping out
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2018, 14:45 »
Sometimes the hens lower down the pecking order get some severe looking pecks to the head while at roost , had a cctv in the coop and saw it regularly.
If they are getting too much grief from the rest and cannot get out of range on the perch they may have decided that Al Fresco is the best option.

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samuria

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Re: hens sleeping out
« Reply #4 on: September 23, 2018, 09:37 »
It might be worth doing a close inspection of the coop to check for red mite.  If that draws a blank, it could just be what they want to do.

Some hens do like sleeping out if there is a suitable tree available, so its nothing you have done.  If they are secure in the run, there isn't really a problem.  They cope with all kinds of weather usually, but you might find they do retreat to the coop in snow or heavy rain  :)

well it was chucking it down here last night and the silly hens still slept up the
tree ::) they were both quite wet when i went out at 6am  :ohmy:

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New shoot

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Re: hens sleeping out
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2018, 10:36 »
You could try putting them in the coop as it is getting dark.  Another thing that attracts them is a small torch placed in the coop, so there is light in there.  You could try that for a few nights.

They can be stubborn and daft at times  ::)   I have got one that sometimes stays out so it gets dark and then wails distress calls because she is suddenly scared and can't find her way home.  She roosts every other night without incident, apart from the usual squabbles and pecks.   Eventually she goes in, but if I am home and hear her, I grab her and shove her in to shut her up  ::)




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samuria

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Re: hens sleeping out
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2018, 19:39 »
 there is no way i could get them from the tree they are to high up :ohmy:
also tried  catching them  and they are to blooming quick for me...
in the morning they make a noise until i let the others out!!!! then peace is returned to the garden  :)

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8doubles

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Re: hens sleeping out
« Reply #7 on: September 24, 2018, 09:25 »
there is no way i could get them from the tree they are to high up :ohmy:
also tried  catching them  and they are to blooming quick for me...
in the morning they make a noise until i let the others out!!!! then peace is returned to the garden  :)

A kiddies fishing net is the best hen catching tool , you can move it fast and it does no damage being so light.
My top hen used to dislike being picked up for health inspections and was free ranging most of the time so the net would come out and she would see it and leg it back to the coop ! :)

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samuria

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Re: hens sleeping out
« Reply #8 on: September 24, 2018, 09:37 »
will try and get a kids net,, then see what happens  :unsure:



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