Why won't my new hens go to roost at night?

[Mad Maggie]

Hi

I am reasonably new to keeping chucks (about 2yrs) and have recently added 2 new hens to my other 1. They are getting on okay and have been together for a week. However, every night they go to sleep in their outside run rather than the hen house which means that I have to root them out and put them to bed. I also have two new bantam chicks (kept in a seperate pen/house) which I have only had a few days and they curl up together in a corner near their house and I have to lift them out and put them to bed too.

Anyone any ideas? Will they go to bed eventually - should I just leave them where they are - I am frightened that (a) they could catch cold as they are only about 14/15 wks old (b) Mr Fox may get them.

 

[tygrysek75]

From the post's I had read on this forum is very likely that reluctant to go inside as you may have this red mite problem.Check the info on that,good luck

 

[bantiekeeper]

I agree. Could well be red mite problem. If your coop has a lift up roof check all round this area and underneath the perches.
Are they all staying out or is it only the new ones? When I have added newbies in the past it does take a little while for them to get the message but they all settle down eventually.

 

[E3lx]

Did the others go to bed by themselves before you added the new ones? If so, it could be that the new ones brought red mite. Otherwise they could have just disrupted the routine, but that is unlikely.

 

[Mad Maggie]

I don't think they have red mite as I dust them and the house all the time. I think it will just take time as tonight when I went to close the coop one of the new ones had gone to bed but in the nest box. The original hen always goes to bed on its own.

The banties are another story. They have been dusted too and there house is brand new so don't think that will have red mite but they just curl up in their outside run and I have to put them to bed. Maybe they will get the idea eventually 19

 

[chrismahon]

We have a perch in one of the runs and some of the birds roost on that. We leave them there if the weather is good balancing the fox risk against the hen's preference. We have had red mite in that coop which may have influenced them but the Cream Legbars have always preferred roosting outside. They used to hide in the trees!

 

[Mad Maggie]

Hi just to let you know all the chooks have now decided that the house is the best place to roost for the night without me having to put them to bed - one however, has decided that the nestbox is ideal - can't win but at least I don't have to PUT them to bed! Thank you for your replies