age of going to roost

I have some chicks just over 4 weeks old that I have moved to the coop. its a struggle getting them to roost at night. if I wait 2 or 3 more weeks will it be easier to teach them to roost at night.

shmeggs said:

I have some chicks just over 4 weeks old that I have moved to the coop. its a struggle getting them to roost at night. if I wait 2 or 3 more weeks will it be easier to teach them to roost at night.

Click to expand...

I gave up. Mine are 6 weeks today, and they sit on the doggone thing off and on all day, but when I go out to check on them at night they're all huddled together in a corner. Can't blame them...temps here are still pretty chilly at night. At the risk of sounding like a mean old chicken owner I just have a ton of other things to do in the evenings besides going out and putting 22 chickens on a roost just so they can jump back down before I've even left the coop! Someone here on the forum told me that they'd do it when they decided to do it, and as long as they aren't getting into the habit of sleeping in the nest boxes it was okay. Since I don't have nest boxes in there yet, I'm hoping she's right. She usually is.

Mine roost as soon as I move them into the coop because I put them on the perch. Four weeks isn't too young.

The trick is to place them on the perch close to dark so they're less likely to hop down. Also, make sure you place them snug up against each other. As long as they can feel the closeness of their mates, they'll be happy to roost like big chickens.

If you allow them to sleep in a pile in the coop, it will take longer to get them to use the perch.

azygous said:

Mine roost as soon as I move them into the coop because I put them on the perch. Four weeks isn't too young.

The trick is to place them on the perch close to dark so they're less likely to hop down. Also, make sure you place them snug up against each other. As long as they can feel the closeness of their mates, they'll be happy to roost like big chickens.

If you allow them to sleep in a pile in the coop, it will take longer to get them to use the perch.

Click to expand...

<sigh> Okay, I'll go out and try it again.

azygous said:

Mine roost as soon as I move them into the coop because I put them on the perch. Four weeks isn't too young.

The trick is to place them on the perch close to dark so they're less likely to hop down. Also, make sure you place them snug up against each other. As long as they can feel the closeness of their mates, they'll be happy to roost like big chickens.

If you allow them to sleep in a pile in the coop, it will take longer to get them to use the perch.

Click to expand...

I have done that several times but they are just not going up there on their own at dark. maybe I should have patience and keep trying.

Blooie said:

<sigh> Okay, I'll go out and try it again.

Click to expand...

Well, I'm back inside. That was an exercise in futility. Azygous, I think mine forgot to read the book. It was like a bad episode of Keystone Cops out there. After reaching into the pile of mostly dark chickens in a mostly dark building, not knowing what end I was grabbing, (that was kinda weeby), placing two of them side by side on the roost, and petting them for a second, I could feel them relax. Then I had to let go to grab a couple more of them. That meant that I needed two hands. And that meant that the first two had the opportunity to jump down. And so it went.....at one point I did have 6 of the 22 up there. At this point I have none of the 22 up there. I think I've had this dream before.

I can picture it! You have my sympathy!

Twenty-two is a lot to manage. Why not just do six at a time? Just place six on the perch, all the way at one end if you have a wall there. If not, try rigging something on the perch for them to scrunch up against. You did the right thing by stroking them. Try placing your hands on their little backs, sort of like a priest blessing. It's very calming to them, and make shushing sounds like you would to a frightened child.

I don't suppose you've marked them individually, which would make working with the same six easier. I use magic markers in assorted colors to mark a band around one leg of each. If you run out of colors, start over with two bands, then three. This is useful to monitor the health and progress of individuals.

Do you have any kids who could help by picking chicks up and bringing them to you? That way you could remain at the perch with your hands on the backs of the ones already up there. I've never had to do this with more than six or eight. But I still think it's doable, and you could pull this off better with a helper.

After a few nights, they ought to be getting the idea.

I was so spoiled with my very first set of chicks. There were three of them and I had locked them in the coop for most of their first day. At nightfall, I opened the coop to let in the two adult hens I already had. There were the three tiny, five-week old Brahmas, roosting in the prime spot the adults always chose. Hopped up there all on their own, they did! Surprisingly, the adults allowed the tiny chicks to roost on their spot. Subsequent chick mergers were more like the circus you describe. One merger went so awfully wrong, I just gave up and waited another week or two to try again. Some chicks just need a little more time to mature. There's no shame in waiting and trying again later.

I tried teaching mine to roost at about 4 weeks. No go. Now at 7 slweeks, they scream and cry running around like little crazy chickens until I put them to roost. I've ruined my chickens.

just went back out to the coop placed them on roost maybe 5 times but finally they got comfortable and stayed on roost and came back in the house.

I do agree with the time on night to do it. I had some I got to roost by putting them on the roost at dark when they can't see to do anything else to do but sit there. I've got 6 I'll do that with in a few days. Just a little chilly tonight and tomorrow night. With the other pullets it took me about 4 nights and they were flying up there on their own.