Big chickens not letting new ones in the coop at night

[Emmangel]

Hey everyone - me again seeding your valuable advice....

I have 3 chickens who are about 5 months old (lavender araucanas). I have had them for 2 months.

For the first 3 weeks, I separated them from the older girls (of which we now have 3) - so total of 6 altogether - in the run and used a separate coop then. On week 4, I put them all in together (they have perches to escape to as well as separate feeder/drinker).

During the day, they are getting on OK, still establishing the pecking order but all of them are in the run/eating/drinking etc.

However at night, only one of the baby ones follows the older ones and roosts with them. However, the other 2 still do not follow the others into the house. Each night they are roosting on a perch in the run. I simply pick them up and pop them in the coop around 7 pm when I get home.

I have noticed when I pop them into the house, the older chickens peck them once or twice and then they all settle down. The 2 younger ones are not as brave as the other young 1, so I feel they are still feeling too intimidated.

I don't want to have to do this every single night and I am worried they will get cold as winter gets colder/darker earlier etc.

Should I try to remove the perch ? Should I isolate the meanie ones ? I had really hoped it would have all settled down by now. I have an omlet eglu and I also though about shutting all 6 of them into the smaller section underneath the house when dusk approaches (will need my husband's help on that one though as I am at the stables until at least 7 pm after work).

Sorry for the longwinded essay.

Thank you everyone (again)
Emma xxx

 

[MotherOfChickens]

how much roosting space for each bird-they need at least a foot each? Are the perches all the same height?How far is the perch from the entrance? How high are the perches?

its a cliche but hens have a distinct pecking order-when they go to bed at night, it has to be in the right order or they start all over again. If the roost is too close to the entrance, the younger birds may feel intimidated.

I've still got three growers who go in and perch first of an afternoon before getting turfed off by the older hens-they'll get there eventually!

I would keep doing what you're doing. You could try taking out the top hen for a few days, see if the others get on better and then reintroduce her. I wouldnt remove the perch as you may just encourage them to sleep in the nesting boxes which is annoying, and a hard habit to break-roosting is far healthier for them too.

 

[teacups]

MoC, I think OP says there is a perch in the run, i.e. outside the coop - that's the one they are on. OP I wonder if they have decided that's their nighttime roosting perch, and yes it might be an idea to remove that one for a bit until they've got into the habit of going inside.

 

[MotherOfChickens]

MoC, I think OP says there is a perch in the run, i.e. outside the coop - that's the one they are on. OP I wonder if they have decided that's their nighttime roosting perch, and yes it might be an idea to remove that one for a bit until they've got into the habit of going inside.

d'oh! yes, remove the outside one.

 

[Emmangel]

Arhh thought I had replied but it seems not.

Yes, to confirm the perch is outside in the run. I put it there so they could escape if they needed to. Their house is an Omlet Eglu and it's supposed to be for upto 10 hens and we have 6 hens and it looks like they have lots of space. There is a ladder going upto the house and the perches are all on the same level (going through to the nest box).

I will try taking away the perch when we're about and let you know.

Thank you x

 

[Emmangel]

Success !!! All chooks roosting together at night. It took a few months but got there in the end. Thank you everyone x

 

[MotherOfChickens]

yay! well done.