Are my roost too low

[Scott204]

First timer here. Built the coop out of an old playhouse used 2x3 on edge and 2x3 flat to build roosts. They dont use them and instead just sit on the raised platform. Any ideas? I have gone in at night and moved them but they freak out and go right back to platform. See arrow, sorry horrible white thing to point where they sleep.

 

[sourland]

Chickens like to roost at the highest point possible. If that is the platform, that's where they will roost. They feel safer the higher up they are.

 

[Scott204]

I know it might be hard to see but 2x3s are on top of platform so why not use those?

 

[chrissynemetz]

I think if you raised them up a little higher they might use them. I think they're too close to the same height as the platform right now.

 

[RojoMarz]

How old are they? Mine are 18 weeks and are just now roosting on the roost (last few nights...will see about tonight). For the last month or so, I have been going out and putting them on the roost. The first week or so, it was like battling two year olds. I'd put one up on roost and get second one...first one hops down. Put 1 and 3 on, 2 hops down . I'd finally get all 7 up there. Most times they were still there the next morning. Rinse and repeat. After about a week or 10 days, they would no longer jump down when I moved them onto the roost.

I guess something finally kicked in. On Friday, we got our first egg plus all 7 were on the roost when I went out to place them there that night.

So...be persistent. Each night, go move them from where they are roosting to the actual roost. If they hop down, put them back. I will say I think I was going out too early in the night. I waited a little while longer, so it was darker, and I had better results.

 

[David61]

I see right away what I would do. I would run a 2x3 side to side to the rafters making the 2x3 10" in the center off that deck. They are chickens, as soon as one jumps up it's all over.

 

[Uff Da]

How old are they? Mine are 18 weeks and are just now roosting on the roost (last few nights...will see about tonight). For the last month or so, I have been going out and putting them on the roost. The first week or so, it was like battling two year olds. I'd put one up on roost and get second one...first one hops down. Put 1 and 3 on, 2 hops down . I'd finally get all 7 up there. Most times they were still there the next morning. Rinse and repeat. After about a week or 10 days, they would no longer jump down when I moved them onto the roost.

I guess something finally kicked in. On Friday, we got our first egg plus all 7 were on the roost when I went out to place them there that night.

So...be persistent. Each night, go move them from where they are roosting to the actual roost. If they hop down, put them back. I will say I think I was going out too early in the night. I waited a little while longer, so it was darker, and I had better results.

There's no reason to perform all that labor. You don't need to teach chickens to roost. Like you said, something just kicks in. Trying to force them to roost by putting them up on the roosts before that is a waste of your time. No need to be persistent, but rather, just be patient.

 

[RebelChief]

There's no reason to perform all that labor. You don't need to teach chickens to roost. Like you said, something just kicks in. Trying to force them to roost by putting them up on the roosts before that is a waste of your time. No need to be persistent, but rather, just be patient.

I was gonna say.... I didn't show mine they flew up where they wanted to be when they were ready. Unfortunately, they wanted to be on the wall studs instead of the roost and as high as they could get. One of them ended up in the tippy top of my roof, stuck in the only place I couldn't get my arm. I had to have my builder come back and crack open the outside of the coop to get the darn thing out. Lesson learned. I have closed off the top of the coop with mosquito screen so they can't go any further up than I want them to.

 

[RojoMarz]

There's no reason to perform all that labor. You don't need to teach chickens to roost. Like you said, something just kicks in. Trying to force them to roost by putting them up on the roosts before that is a waste of your time. No need to be persistent, but rather, just be patient.

Likely very true. They were choosing to sleep in the nesting boxes and I didn't want to let that habit start. I sometimes (okay most times) have more persistence that patience.

 

[RebelChief]

Likely very true. They were choosing to sleep in the nesting boxes and I didn't want to let that habit start. I sometimes (okay most times) have more persistence that patience.

Block the nesting boxes off until they are ready to lay. Then when you get that first egg, open them back up and put some fake eggs or golf balls in there so they know that's where the eggs go.