Storms and chickens

[dispic1]

To cut a long story short my friend found a chicken in her garden, i kid you not, and she asked if i would have her as they couldnt find the owner.

We have introduced her to the other chooks, that seems fine now, but she seems to go to bed on her own.

If we pop her in through the pophole with the others she is fine but she just wont go in the eglu through the front by herself. We tried shutting the other eglu door but no joy.

 

Any suggestions?

[Luvachicken]

Maybe she is older than the others ?

My Gemma is older than the other 2 and always goes to bed first, on her own.

[dispic1]

I have no idea at all how old she is, im guessing about 2 but it could less could be older.

Shes really tame and seems nice amd healthy and she doesnt mind being on her tod.

[sarkymite]

I think it's the last thing that happens in terms of her being accepted. Even if the others are generally good to her they may be stopping her going in at night to remind her she's at the bottom, and as dusk falls she may just give up and fall asleep elsewhere.

 

I still occasionally find my Nancy asleep just outside the eglu door or on a high perch in the main run. I've sat quietly and observed, and basically she's not allowed in the Eglu until the others are all settled. Most of the time she makes it in before falling asleep (especially as the older ones do seem to go to bed earlier!) But occasionally it gets dark and she just sleeps wherever she drops as it were.

I always pick her up and pop her in if I find her like that.

[grahamrhind]

I'm experiencing something similar with my new hen. They (there were two, now only one left) came from another smallholder and mixed with the existing hen with no issues other than the usual pecking order argie bargie. But at night the two new ones would go off and roost in the lavender whilst the older one would retire on her own to the Eglu. I tried a few nights to put them into the run but they simply lay down next to the door of the run as far away from the Eglu as possible. After a few nights I gave up and left them to it. (I should say that I'm lucky enough that the ladies can stay out 24 hours per day where I am - we have no predators at all). One of the new ones (since dead) would go to the Eglu to lay, but the other did, and does still, lay under the bushes, so I'm on my knees most days to collect the eggs. I don't know why they avoided the Eglu - I assume they got used to something else with their old owners.