Roosting problem

[Danny1234]

Every time my chickens (4) go to sleep they all go on their roosts, but later in the night one of my pullets get pushed off and ends up sleeping on the floor. We have 6 roosting posts (3 on one side of the small coop and 3 on the other) The roosting posts are quite close together so they can lay across three posts at once. The pullet that gets pushed off is extremely docile so doesn't mind sleeping on the floor but then she gets crusty feathers below the vent to her legs. What can I do, I really have no idea!!

Also, I can't put two chickens on one side and two on the other to make space more even because they all like to huddle up which is so irritating as they can't even fit all of them in the roosts


This is how the nights are usually sorted out by the chickens. (They could all probably fit on the roosting pole at the time but they grow so fast!

 

[appps]

One thought would be increase the height between the roost and the floor to make it more attractive. The roosts are very low at the moment so there is probably not much incentive to stay on the roost to feel high and safe.

 

[chfite]

Mine all jam up cheek by jowl on the roosts, leaving lots of unused space. Then there is one hen that roosts by herself on another roost. I had several pullets that slept on the floor until they started laying.

If there is space and they are safe, I would let them work it out.

Chris

 

[Bens-Hens]

I would advise to do both those things, and maybe stagger the roosts in a ladder form (I have mine in an 'A' shape, two lower, one higher)

Just need to be mindful of the droppings not landing on each other, so spreading them further apart may be on the cards when they get a bit bigger.

 

[ChickenLegs13]

When the little hen gets older she'll start roosting on the perches on the other end to avoid the roost bully.