# Flying up to roost



## FlaCummins (Jul 19, 2012)

Picked up two 4 1/2 month old hens the other day and tonight when I let them sleep in the big coop one of them had trouble flying up to roost. She would get about a foot off te ground but seemed like she didn't have the power to get all the way up. She seems healthy. Checked her Wong and everything looks good. She's eating and drinking fine. Any ideas on what to check?


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

My guess is she's just out of shape. Likely hasn't needed to fly yet so doesn't have the muscles or endurance in place yet. Give her some time to practice and she will likely get there in no time.


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## FlaCummins (Jul 19, 2012)

The 2 new ones came from a large group and they had a small house style coop so I'm. It sure how they slept. Mine is an A frame coop with a roost bar. One of them popped right up but the one girl struggled so bad I had to coax her out and set her on the roost. I might put the ladder back in to see of she'll use it. They weren't very happy about going into the coop with the two 4 year old hens who weren't real happy to see new blood.


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## Energyvet (Jul 25, 2012)

She may have been low on the pecking order too. Maybe hesitant to assert herself. I think the ladder may be a good idea. Might give everyone some options. Animals don't always sit in a row and behave like we want them to.


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## Roslyn (Jun 21, 2012)

Some birds fly better than others. When we did the big wing clipping to keep them from going over the fences we didn't bother with the roosters. My roosters are HUGE, about double the hens and when you pick them up, they are heavy-weights. However, I was sitting in my car and watching when one of them didn't even look like he was trying FLEW up and over a 4 1/2 foot fence. I would never have believed it if I didn't see it for myself.

Maybe she just isn't any good at flying? Also, she could have a injury from peep hood, a pulled wing muscle or something that is preventing her from using her wings.


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