Re: Getting hens in coop

"Mary Fisher" <mary.fisher@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:451aaecb$0$29547$4c56ba96@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:


'Enigma' said:

" right now the roosters are all in a seperate coop & pen,
so the eggs are infertile anyway... and it's *so* much
easier to get the hens to go into the coop at night."

Why should it be easier to get hens into the coop?

Ours go by themselves, according to the light level. We
don't have to do it and the fact that there are cockerels
around doesn't make any difference.

It would be interesting to know.

because when you have 7(!) roosters in the coop with the hens,
they do NOT want to go in with the roosters. one rooster
jumping on them is tolerable, but to have to run a gauntlet of
7 is really just too hard on the poor girls & they'd rather
stay outdoors than go in.
so i built the girls a lovely new coop in my hay storage
area, with larger floorspace, more perches at different
heights & several nesting boxes (covered cat litter boxes,
because i used to have 11 indoor cats. now i have lots of
spare litter boxes & they're easy to clean). they have a
separate door to outside & a solid wall inside between them &
the boys. they're much more relaxed & are starting to get
feathers back... fortunate because it'll be freezing here
soon. even Red is getting skin & feathers where the roosters
tore her up jumping on her. she's always going to be weirdly
lumpy under her wings, but she looks loads better.

on a semi-related note, anyone know why only one of my now 6
remaining roosters perches on a roost at night? the 5
Orpingtons i have left huddle together on the floor in a
corner, ignoring the roosts. i know they can't fly at all, but
they could easily hop up the slanting roost.
lee <still have blue & black Orp roosters to get rid of...>
--
Question with boldness even the existence of god; because if
there be
one, he must more approve the homage of reason than that of
blindfolded
fear. - Thomas Jefferson
.