Chicken has been in coup 2 weeks refuses to go outside


The Classroom @ The Coop: Poultry Management: Chicken has been in coup 2 weeks refuses to go outside
By
Joyce (Catladyjoyce) on Saturday, February 9, 2002 - 01:48 pm:

Anyone know why the chicken is doing this? Her rooster that she was bonded to died a month ago. Wonder if she's morning him? I noticed his other mate stays in there too. I thought it might have been because of adolescent roosters bothering her. I got rid of them & she still won't come out. All she does is sit on the roosts.


By Cjeanr on Saturday, February 9, 2002 - 02:15 pm:

Joyce, While one cannot say for sure--some hens do rely on roosters (mine certainly do not and are happy when I remove a rooster to another pen). And some hens are basically very shy. Chickens do not mourn, as some wild bird species may. But for a while, they certainly are missing a possessive rooster, but not him, necessarily, as you experienced with young roosters, but like a chick depends on its mother. If the hens were mine, I would put them outside (assuming you have a safe outside pen for them) and close the door for a while. If the feed and water is inside, they will come back in when you open the door again, a few hours later. They may just be routined and have not adjusted. Am sure she is coming down to eat and drink. My birds spend a lot of the day on their day-roosts. They cannot be outside at all during the winter months. But they come down to eat and drink, scratch in the litter a while, then back up to preen, or just rest on their roost. The hens that are laying, take time out to go in their nest box, on a shelf behind the dayroosts. Unless you really want them outside, I don't think you need to worry. But if you really want them out for a while, just lock them out for a bit. But don't forget them out there!! Good luck CJR


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