Solitary chicken - need advice

[Rosalie]

I have 4 bantams three are 7 weeks and one is 9 weeks. They have been in the run for 3 nights but arent going to bed. Each night they are at the foot of the,ladder under the bigger hen and I have to put them in the house at 10 pm. Is this normal as they are still young?

[jackian]

It is early days yet.

They will suss it out believe me and then you will be telling them how clever they are .

 

Are they a bit scared of the bigger hen ? Can they get up the ladder ? They are only tiny . Keep doing what you are doing and they will be fine.

 

Jackie x

[patsylabrador]

Also it's almost the summer solstice, near the winter solstice they go to bed by 4pm.

I cheat a lottle and entice them to bed with a corncob which has the advantage of keeping them busy and quiet in the morning. Often when I let them out I can hear them tucking into the corncob.

[Rosalie]

Thankyou - no they aren't scared of her at all they just try to get underneath her

[Beantree]

The smaller ones are seeking security under the bigger one. She is the problem and the one you need to encourage to bed. Worth checking for red mite as that can be the reason for reluctance to go into the coop. But at 10.00pm it is still light, so perhaps they will only be thinking about bed at that time.

[Egluntyne]

Are they physically strong/big enough to manage the ladder? Perhaps they need something at the base of it to give them a leg up.

[Rosalie]

It's a brand new coop so shouldn't have red mite yet? They are still small so perhaps ladder is bit steep