I have a fair sized flock of chicks. They are all the same hatch date. But about eight varieties. If any of you are familiar with Crevecours (Beautiful Ladies) I have four of them. They are all for the most part fairly predictable, but one of my Crevecours will not come in at night, she will not roost, she will have nothing to do with any of the other chickens. She will not even come in out of the pouring rain. Litteraly. I have warned her of predators, I have scolded her severly for staying out to late. Nothing works. I have to go out every night and take her in. Whats up with this chick? Never could figure women out. LOL. Haystack
She's from another planet
Can she not see through her crazy head dress? I just googled the breed and they look like a close relative to the polish.
Now, now, don't take it out on all the the poor gals. It sounds like she was just not in line when they were handing out the brains...
She wants to be a house chicken.
I am having the same problem with a splash silkie. She always roosted in the hen house. I went in and winterized the coup and added nice bedding. Now she roost on a little twig behind the house. Every night she has to be brought in. She even had her own little roost about 6inches off the ground.
I have a small pen built on the side of house to put new arrivals in before I make sure they are healthy. After each use I clean well and what for next arrival. It is attached to the coup by a small catch door. When their quarantine is up. I just open the door and they just take to the roost fine.
I think I'm going to act like she is a new arrival and give it a few days. She is just like "fruit" to a predator right now if not brought in.
Always one chicken who just can't get it!
George
It's a natural instinct for a chicken to desire to roost in a tree to protect themselves from predaters below as well as above.
We as humans like to think they are dumb for not wanting to stay in our cozy coops but they are only doing what their instinct tells them to do.
Most all birds roost in the canopy of trees here they are protected from above from owls,rain,frost and wind and they are protected from what crawls on the ground below.
So no they are not acting dumb in their books we are the dumb ones who keep them from doing what their instinct has told them to do for hundreds if not thousands of years.
Haystack...any way you can leave her locked up in the coop for a couple or few days? You would have to lock them all up but it might work. We have added new 'hen houses' and sections in the barn and when we move them they always want to go back to their old homes. After several days it usually works that they go to their new home. I'm going to have the same challenge as you soon......I have 6 chickens of different breeds who have decided that the 'twisty tree'...(don't know the name of it) right by the porch is their home and roost their every night. I've been able to leave them their because it's been warm and the dogs sleep on the porch, but with it getting colder they are going to freeze so I'll have to move them. My biggest challenge is a 20 lb Bourbon Red Tom turkey who has decided to sleep right outside the barn on the rabbit hutches. He's not safe there, so I have to take him in every night....and get beat about to death with his big flappy wings about every other night...geesh! Guess I'll have to lock them all up together.
Christy
I guess that's the point Harmony! Even when I take her in and put her on the roost, she gets right down and sits on the floor by herself. When it rains hard here the ladies all run for the coup, not her she just sits out in the rain. Sheesh. Haystack
Any reason to think she's at the bottom of the order and would rather be out and alone?
Hey there Daylilly Daddy! I cannot tell you how nice it is to find out there's another guy out there. I had to laugh at your post because like your splash, she'll find something six inches off of the ground and think she is roosting. Great to talk to you. P. S. My favorite bro_inlaw is from is from Kentucky, and I was stationed at Camp breckinridge, in Morgan-town Ky, in the late 50's. Thanks for posting. Haystack
Hi Brigidlily! In response to your question, I really don't know? I bought all the birds as day old, and she's alway been different since about four weeks old, She is a beautiful bird and I hold her a lot. When I hold her she just lays in my arms and sounds like a pidgeon cooing. Anyway I'll consider all you good folks suggest and see how it goes. Thanks to all of you for your input, and now that George responded I no longer feel like an Aphid on a Rose. Of course you ladies are the Rose. LOL Haystack
Hi Ladybugs! I laughed so hard about your turkey, about two years ago my neighbor's turkey came over and killed one of my chickens. He must have stomped on him for a couple hours, he would walk away for maybe twenty feet, then return and stomp some more. I finally took a broom out to run him off and back home. Guess what? He ran me off. I barely got back into the house with my life. But oh pitty me. I found my 12 gauge and loaded it with a slug and oh yes there were two turkeys when I finished. Hated turkeys everysince. Good eating though. Haystack.