Katy Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 For the last two nights our has settled herself down behind a bush in the garden rather than heading back to the eglu. Fortunatley we saw her as she was disappearing on the first night otherwise we would have been in a right panic! I'm planning on blocking her entrance route tonight, but does anyone have any idea why she would be doing this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 She probably hasn't got the hang of going "home" before it gets dark. It might be worth confining her to barracks for a few days so that she "unlearns" her bad ways. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Hi Katy, I see you've only had your hens since the 2nd of this month. Did you keep them in the run for the full five days or did you let them out to free range early? If the latter, it might explain your hen's eccentric behaviour. Or should that be ex-hentrick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 We kept them in for 6 days (OH wanted to be double sure) and then they have been out for a few hours a day, longer at weekends, ever since. They've both been fine and toddled off to bed at bang on 8.45 everynight except for the last two when Ginger has decided to camp out . Blackie keeps sticking her head around the door of the eglu as if to say will you PLEASE hurry up! It's not huge problem as we don't have a big garden and now we know where to look she is easy enough to scoop up, but I just wondered if something could have upset her. She is the younger one, and from what I have read Blackie who is a few weeks older looks like she is almost ready to lay - could this be what is bothering her? For now I've attempted to block off the gap she was getting into and can always resort to raisins at 8 and shut them into the run early. If she manages to do it again tonight I'll do as Egluntine suggests and keep them in the run for a few days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chocchick Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 My chicken (Katy) has a thing about hedges. Once she escaped and we tracked her down to inside the hedge where she was stuck and completely silent, refusing to give away her location. Then she developed a liking for perching in the hedge, which resulted in an escape to next door and some extra fencing. She always goes to bed in the eglu 1/2 hour-hour before the other chickens though. Sometimes chickens avoid roosting because of mites, but she could just have developed a liking for hedges. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 There was an old saying (my parent's generation!) that monkeys were the "quasiest people". Well, maybe chickens are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andrewhelen Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 One of ours, Charlie, the Miss Pepperpot has taken to roosting on a chair by our front door! The other goes back into the eglu every night. I think I'll try the 'confine to barracks' method and see if it works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 I wonder if it's the time of year, with the warmer nights? Five of mine now roost on the branches in their run rather than going into the cube. I leave them to it as they are tucked away at the back of the run and well away from the mesh sides. Maybe it is just cooler for them outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 When I got my first 2, if they were free ranging at bedtime they'd roost on top of the dog's kennel, as I think they were attracted by the light from the kitchen window nearby. Sometimes my skylines roost in the tree in their run and my SLW used to roost on top of the eglu run (inside the big run) and keep guard at night. They all have their funny little ways. She'll get the hang of it if you confine them to the run for the last hour before bedtime. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abbey Road Girl Posted June 23, 2008 Share Posted June 23, 2008 Now that I think of it, my top chick Biccie has been found on top of the Glub at bedtime (not good for the purity of the water). A dog will want to be as high as it can get in order to establish that s/he's the dominant one and maybe chooks do the same. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted June 27, 2008 Author Share Posted June 27, 2008 After two days kept in the run, the bush seems to have lost it's appeal - for now..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted June 27, 2008 Share Posted June 27, 2008 I wish my 3 would go to bed at 8.45! I too have one the top chick that goes to nest box way before other 2. none of mine roost, all want the nest box Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
