Mercedes55 Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 We have 7 girls, 3 live in the Eglu and 4 live in the Cube. About a week ago our Sussex Ranger who is in the Eglu with our 2 remaining ex batts started to spend the night on the perches in the WIR rather than go to bed with the others. The next night a couple of the girls from the Cube also stayed out all night and stayed on the perches just the other side of the wire from our Sussex Ranger. As the weather was very warm we thought maybe it was because of that. However yesterday it was very cool and wet, but we still had 3 girls stay out all night. My first instinct is that there is some red mite. OH went into the run last night and ran a piece of white kitchen paper all over the roosting bars, but there was nothing on it at all. So now not sure at all what is going on. I have worked out that the ones who are staying out all night are all at the bottom of the pecking order. I'm not sure what to do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TooLilac Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I don't know - hopefully someone with an explanation will be along soon. (Mine are doing the same. I've checked and double-checked for red mite & lice - nothing. I've scrubbed the coop and limewashed the inside. I think they just like roosting on a high perch in their new WIR!!! we've tried manhandling them into the coop but they resist so we are trying to let them decide for a few nights. but if they are too noisy at the crack of dawn, we'll go back to locking them in....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted June 4, 2012 Author Share Posted June 4, 2012 Glad to hear it isn't just my girls behaving like this. I really hope we don't have red mite as I know it's hard to get rid of that. Weather today isn't nice enough to give the Eglu and Cube a good scrub. I know some hens do prefer to stay outside when the weather is hot, which makes sense, but last night was quite chilly here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggy Posted June 8, 2012 Share Posted June 8, 2012 Funny this. I was just searching the forum because our chooks have also started to sleep outside on one of the perches.We have had various combinations of girls being in or out this past week or so. Sometimes all 3 are out, other times just one and if we put them in the Eglu they come straight back out. If we force Mrs Doyle in she makes a whiney noise which we haven't heard from her before. Bit like a teenage sulk noise..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 We now have 6 out of 7 girls staying out every night, no matter what the weather is like. We think the only reason one of them chooses to go into the Eglu is because she is an ex batt and can't jump onto the high perches where the others spend the night. We have given the Eglu and the Cube a really good clean and used Poultry Shield and Diatom and are as sure as we can be that there is no red mite. The ones that lay are all doing well and going in the nest to lay, really not sure what is going on Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
