The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: rusticranger on March 12, 2013, 05:26:52 pm

Title: New hen won't go into the house at night
Post by: rusticranger on March 12, 2013, 05:26:52 pm: Hi guys,

10 days ago we bought 2 new hens (after one of our hens was taken by a random dog!)
It brings our total to 3 chickens. The pecking order has been sorted out and they are all happy feeding next to each other and stay as a group during the day.

However, the smallest hen (which is the one I think is lowest in the order) will not go into the house at night. I've had to put her in late at night every day. She comes out in the morning with the other two and she's not injured so I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem and if there is a solution!

Any help or advice gratefully received! :)
Title: Re: New hen won't go into the house at night
Post by: graham-j on March 12, 2013, 05:58:26 pm: Hi,this can be a real night mare something I'm sure we've all had at some point.All you can do is keep catching the bird/birds and keep putting them in the house until they learn where they live.It can be a right nightmare on a cold rainy night when all you want to do is sit in front of the fire.
I assume there is enough perch space in your house for all your birds.

Graham
Title: Re: New hen won't go into the house at night
Post by: Daisys Mum on March 12, 2013, 06:45:06 pm: Yep been there got the t-shirt, it's a bugger but some hens are just thick :chook:
Title: Re: New hen won't go into the house at night
Post by: rusticranger on March 13, 2013, 01:24:02 pm: Hi guys,

Yeah there's plenty of room for them. The house is big enough for 6.

Perserverance is the key then! Thanks for your help. Hopefully she'll realise where ah lives soon! :)

Tom
Title: Re: New hen won't go into the house at night
Post by: ZaktheLad on March 13, 2013, 01:31:42 pm: We had one like that which was given to us by a local farmer after all of his other hens were killed by a fox one night (it was a new home with us or have her neck pulled). We ended up putting a trail of mealworms for her to follow up in to the house - it didn't take her long to cotton on and she is 1st to go in more or less now!
Title: Re: New hen won't go into the house at night
Post by: rusticranger on March 18, 2013, 01:59:09 pm: She's in! Last night was the first night that she went in! My wife and I performed a victory dance in our wellies!
Title: Re: New hen won't go into the house at night
Post by: Clarebelle on March 18, 2013, 02:02:41 pm: thats great news! Did you try anything different to try and get her in at night or has she done it on her own? :thumbsup:
Title: Re: New hen won't go into the house at night
Post by: rusticranger on March 20, 2013, 08:10:13 am: I shut her in the run and left her until very late. I think it scared her into going in!
Title: Re: New hen won't go into the house at night
Post by: Little Nell on March 21, 2013, 06:37:02 pm: Late congrats!
I had bad experience with that. Same thing and then one night yippee she went in on her own.
Next morning found her at bottom of ramp, stiff and cold. Did not investigate, too upset, but suspect others had bullied her so badly she panicked and in trying to get out managed to break her neck. I felt so guilty as I had been putting her in and letting her get on with it without realising what was probably going on.