Pullets not roosting?

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kaileenfoster

kaileenfoster

In the Brooder
Apr 18, 2016
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So I have 6 pullets (3 mottled javas and 3 speckled Sussex) who I've I'd for 3 weeks.. They are 12 weeks old and non of them roost at night. every night I go out there and put them on the roost and they fight me every night and then hop back down! I've been at this for almost a month and they would rather huddle in the corner of the coop floor.. It's driving me nuts.. Maybe I'm just too controlling, can anyone give me advice? Should I just leave them be? I mean nothing bad will happen to them if they sleep on the floor right? The coop is secure, any suggestions? Thank you!
 
Chickenmanjim7 said:
dealing with the same thing.  Mine are about 12 weeks old too and huddle right by the door...
Click to expand...

What do you do about it? I've been putting them on the roost from the floor every night for two weeks and they get back down, I think I'm just going to leave them be..
 
Roosting is a very deep rooted instinct. They will eventually "get" the urge to roost. I would let them decide.

I also think roosting is a learned behavior. What I mean is that chicks that are raised with a hen will roost much sooner than those who are not. I've had hens lure chicks to the roost at about a month old.
 
I have 14 pullets and 11 cockerels of the same age (12 weeks) they've been in the coop for only two weeks because of weather delays here.

Coop is inside a small shed. I tried putting them on the roosts too. Right off. Built ramps and baited them with treats. They stay until the food is gone then back on the floor. I decided to let them figure it out. Two are now roosting on the actual roost bars. Three get onto the kick board, to keep litter in, across the person gate which leads to their pen and the others crowd behind the three hoping they get a turn on the board. I'm thinking eventually they will all figure out the actual roost boards.
 

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