Chickens not going to bed...

[HedgeHugger]

My 3 Welsummers (about 7 and a half weeks old now)

Have been putting themselves to bed around 8'ish since we first got them (almost 2 weeks ago).

The past 2 nights they have a had a sit-up-on-the-high-shelf Protest.
Is it possibly because it is so hot?
I checked in the coop, no bogey-men in there.
Nothing has changed apart from the weather.
They shout and flap a bit, at being moved, but I won't leave them out at night.

We have fallen for them big-time. Never thought chickens could be so fascinating :)

[ock]

hi and welcome to the forum

have you checked for red mite ? wipe under the perches with a white cloth and see if it comes up red, prob best to do this at night as thats when they come out to feed on the chooks

[Steve the Gas]

Welcome.

Think they just got them.... the hens.

They will go up high to roost, when in an unknown place.

You will need to put them in for a few nights, try a torch in the entrance - they will go towards it.

[ock]

they`ve had them 2 weeks Steve


put your reading glasses on mate

[Steve the Gas]

Bet they've been like it for two weeks then

[jannie]

Hi and welcome

8 ish might be a bit early .. they usually take themselves off to bed when it starts to get dusk .. around 9.30 here

[janepick]

Hi and welcome from me too.
My girls are stopping out until 9.30pm too....

[HedgeHugger]

Thanks for the welcomes and replies :)
I did just give the coop a wipe around (just in case) It is still pretty clean in there and it is a plastic one. No sign of anything amiss, that I could see.

We have bought some Diatomaceous Earth, which we have added to the dust corner. Well used today!
We had read about red-mite which prompted us to go plastic-fantastic. Though we do realise it isn't 100% guarantee not to get them.


Even though they were off to bed at 8'ish, I didn't shut the ramp up til later. (they had the option to stay out IYKWIM).
I'll have to charge the batteries for the torch, and become the chicken usherette :D

[julie62]

I think they're just peculiar sometimes - I've one in bed at 9 oclock prompt, number two messes about for about another hour, in and out and shaking it all about, and then number three seems to like having a bit of time alone in the run quietly contemplating life and the universe and then goes in as darkness falls. Of course this means multiple trips down the garden for me checking if they're all finally in!

I've just decided they're a bit odd and all individuals as I cant see any obvious problems.

[Sheila D]

It might be worth checking the ventilation of the coop is good. Its been very hot lately and my girls won't go in unless the ventilation slide is open on the side of the coop. Also, if one of them is slow to go in, I put a small torch on the floor in the 'bedroom' and leave for a few minutes, they always head for the light. Also, I hope you're putting some diatom in with the shavings and straw that they use for bedding. If there are any nasty insects in there, it will take care of them and they will get a restful night.

[julie62]

hi thanks - I've got diamateous earth down in the coop and in the bedding and have been using poultry shield when I clean out. The coop is new and i've not seen any sign of any nasties in there altho I will be doing a big clean tomorrow and will have a microscopic look. I wondered if its because they're ex-bats and its still all a bit new to them. Also there are big trees all around the coop and run and they do constantly crane their necks as dusk falls staring at the trees - I think what they really want is to get up in the trees for the night.

[milli]

Ex Batty girls don't really seem to know how to go to bed like the others, they know they have to for safety but I think they sometimes get a bit confused. Our first lot of girls all go to bed now along with the Speckledies that they learned from, but 3 of the last 5 that we got in May still wait to be put to bed. So we have to lift them up into the coop and they then make their way into one of the nest boxes for the night. Even though they lay their eggs in the nest boxes they still don't seem to associate it with going up the ramp to beddie byes ! I don'tmind though, as I quite like going out there and lifting them up to bed, they feel all soft and warm

[HedgeHugger]

Well...
They were all shuffed up on the shelf again (gone 10pm :) )
I took the head-light out with me, which they seemed to like, they were watching it anyway.
I popped them down, one by one and shone the torch into the back of the coop, They shuffled about a bit but with a helping hand managed to find their way in. I left them twittering away to each other as I locked up.
The vent is fully open at the back of the coop, it is in a shady spot too.
OH said he had sprinkled some DE inside the coop.
They sleep on the floor, not on the perches, though they use the perches in the pen.