Hen refusing to go back into coop

Rasmus

Hi,
I'm looking for some advice on getting chickens back into the coop at night.

Story: we used to have an average of 5 free range fowl in the back that went back into the coop without a bother a night. A fox nabbed one hen (I believe) and a dog killed at least three of them.

For a few weeks, the brood roosted in the bushes, while the youngest hen (let's call her A) went into the coop every night. They were very skittish and impossible to catch.

Over the next week or so five met their deaths.

There are now two hardy survivors but I can't get the younger of the two hens to go back in at night at all, she is having NONE of it.

After finally catching them, we locked them in for a week, to show them where 'home' is and the older hen (let's call her has been going in (albeit by way of bribery, the breadcrumb trail) but even though the younger hen would love some treats she won't go near the coop.

How can I get A to go back in? It might be worth mentioning that her best mate was killed by the dog one day out of the blue?

yellowlabrador

I know that after your losses you might be wary, but the answer would be to get more chickens. I might be an issue of pecking order between the 2 chickens. Also if there are more birds, she'll reestablish herself. Also maybe get a bigger run and stop them roaming. If there's a bit of bantam in her she might prefer roosting in trees.

Rasmus

Thanks yellowlab - that makes sense actually as the older hen is very 'pecky' towards the younger one and tends to dominate. I am happy to get more hens, but wanted to get these ones back on track first. I'd quite like to try getting more in though.

glagirl

I know when I was young and lived on a farm we had chickens and hens. We would feed them in their coop house every evening. When they heard us calling they knew it was dinner time and they would all come running. Hope this helps...food is the way to their hearts ha ha

Rasmus

Thanks Glagla. I actually did that this morning, only put the food in the coop, so hopefully the chick will eventually break down and go in!
They are both resilient types though, foraging for worms and seeds in the garden.

SligoEdo

It might also be possible it has nothing to do with the other hens getting eaten.
Maybe the coop has mites in it, or maybe it's not clean enough.

Rasmus

SligoEdo wrote: »

It might also be possible it has nothing to do with the other hens getting eaten.
Maybe the coop has mites in it, or maybe it's not clean enough.

No, it is cleaned and sprayed regularly, and as she used to go in every night like clockwork so that wouldn't explain it. I have noticed the older hen is a bit of a bully so beginning to think it is very much a pecking order issue.

Qualitymark

Probably pecking order. Solution may be crispy-fried rasher rinds inside the coop; I've never met a hen that could resist those.

The other solution may be to get a new hen, take the youngest hen out at night and put her roosting elsewhere with the new hen; keep them together for a couple of days, then put them back together *at night when everyone's roosting* into the coop. They'll wake up together and the new girl will be accepted by the others, but the youngest hen will now have a buddy and be less scared of Ms Pecky.