the witless wonders strike again...won't use the roost

[stargazingmommy]

Our babies(around 3 months I think, a SLW and a buff cochin banty frizzle.) are living full time outside and doing fine...except at bedtime. For 3 weeks straight, every single night, we have relocated them to the roost in the pen.
They refuse to do it on their own. Instead they seem to prefer the top step on my back porch. Last night in the rain I had to relocate them.
Any tips tricks hints on getting them to use the roost on their own. If they can get up my back steps they certainly can get up on the roost.
a few times they have even moved back to the steps after I've gone inside. I'm contemplating duct taping them to the roost(only kidding, but the thought is there).

Issue 2...they refuse to eat out of the food dish that's in the pen. If I move it out in the yard they will eat just fine. But not when it's inside the pen out of the rain.

With out other 2 now 1 yr old hens I only had to put them on the roost a couple times before they got the hint.
The mini witless wonder, the banty, follows her big sister around, and when I put them on the roost she will hide under the big one. When she goes into the actual coop where the salmon fave is broody on an egg, she will try to get under the SF, usually she manages under a wing, I hate to think what will happen if she gets all the way under her.

I admit, I'm kinda tired of going out in the rain to relocate the witless wonders and want them to just put themselves to bed at night like the big girls.

 

[TexasLea]

Can you lock them in the area you want them to roost? If you can keep them from getting to their favorite spot- the porch: they should see the roost as a new favorite spot. After a few nights being locked in and sleeping on it, they should continue to go to it out of habit instead of to the porch.

I guess same goes for the food bowl, if they are penned up and don't have access to any other food except the food dish you want them to eat from, surely they will eat from it. Maybe scatter a little feed around the base of it to get them near it. Then perhaps pretend it's raining for a week straight and keep them closed in so they have to eat and sleep in their proper spots!

Chickens are so silly sometimes!

 

[stargazingmommy]

Can you lock them in the area you want them to roost? If you can keep them from getting to their favorite spot- the porch: they should see the roost as a new favorite spot. After a few nights being locked in and sleeping on it, they should continue to go to it out of habit instead of to the porch.

I guess same goes for the food bowl, if they are penned up and don't have access to any other food except the food dish you want them to eat from, surely they will eat from it. Maybe scatter a little feed around the base of it to get them near it. Then perhaps pretend it's raining for a week straight and keep them closed in so they have to eat and sleep in their proper spots!

Chickens are so silly sometimes!

edited with a pic of them in their favorite spot...Ya know, I thought when the BIG dogs went racing out the back door and leaped over them on the steps it might scare them enough they would move...but noooo.
I've contemplated locking them in the pen.
The set up is this...The coop is built into the corner of the shed. The run is attached to the front of the pen and goes to the edge of the shed. They free range the yard, so the pen is always open. It's where the food and water always is. There is a roost inside the coop, which they don't use. The roost in the pen is where they sleep. There is poultry netting buried clear up to the ceiling of the shed, and a door in front.
Now, one of the issues is the door on the coop. There are 2x2s running the length of the shed. The coop door is against that wall, but there's a gap between the wall and door because of those 2X2s. The witless wonders squeeze out through that gap.
The front door of the pen(poultry netting) Isn't a tight fit. If you push on it from the outside it won't open because of a 2X4 across the doorway, but if you push on it from inside the corner pushes away enough the witless wonders have figure out how to squeeze through.
The big girls use the coop for laying(and not in the nest box of course, but the floor, which has like 8"of straw covering it), and right now miss broody butt is broody(and sitting on a duck egg).
I've got a big pool noodle stuffed in the gap between the door and the wall so the dogs don't stick a nose in and disturb her, normally they don't bother her at all, and she likes to "groom" them, just want this egg to hatch.
The front, I think tonight I will use a paving stone to hold that corner tight. Don't think they will be able to move it.
So, the one big girl that is currently not broody, I guess I can lock her up for a few days with the babies, especially in this weather it won't hurt at all.

Heres a pic of the set up in the run. There is a roost in the coop which the big girls do use sometimes, but with miss broody in there I'm not encouraging it, especially since her nest is right under the roost. The ducks aren't usually in there, but always have to check it out when I do something in it. The roost is slanted, I have a block under the low end to level it, I had just knocked it off when I tried to stand up under the roost, its fixed now and level and not wobbly at all.

 

[centrarchid]

Are other birds already using roost? Is is possible they where disturbed by predator when on roost you desire used?

 

[TexasLea]

That pic is awesome! It's like they are saying "What? Haven't you ever seen a chicken roosting before?! Sheesh!"

Maybe the big girl will teach the young un's during their "quality time" together. Perhaps she will set them straight on correct roosting and eating manners and explain that one day they will outgrow the holes and no longer be able to sleep on the porch and make the people come out in the rain to move them..

If all else fails I guess you could put them some sort of weather proof box on your top step on rainy nights and just consider them porch decor..... or else get the duct tape.

 

[stargazingmommy]

only one other is using the roost right now, the other that uses it is broody and living in the coop. We only have 4 chickens and 2 ducks.
I really don't worry about predators here, the worst we have is squirrels and an occasional neighbor cat which the dogs chase out immediately.
For now I've got all the chickens locked in the pen and coop area, so maybe they will start to use it on their own.

 

[centrarchid]

I have about 17 birds roosting on front porch but they are elevated and dog is within 10 feet of them unless he is out patrolling property. If not elevated oppossums would be a problem and without dog oppossum, raccoon, red fox, coyote and great-horned owl would be visiting.

 

[centrarchid]

only one other is using the roost right now, the other that uses it is broody and living in the coop. We only have 4 chickens and 2 ducks.
I really don't worry about predators here, the worst we have is squirrels and an occasional neighbor cat which the dogs chase out immediately.
For now I've got all the chickens locked in the pen and coop area, so maybe they will start to use it on their own.

If dogs are out at night then predators should not be a problem. Then you have to worry about tripping over birds when going up and down steps.

 

[stargazingmommy]

That pic is awesome! It's like they are saying "What? Haven't you ever seen a chicken roosting before?! Sheesh!"

Maybe the big girl will teach the young un's during their "quality time" together. Perhaps she will set them straight on correct roosting and eating manners and explain that one day they will outgrow the holes and no longer be able to sleep on the porch and make the people come out in the rain to move them..

If all else fails I guess you could put them some sort of weather proof box on your top step on rainy nights and just consider them porch decor..... or else get the duct tape.

I swear these two hate me. My big girls don't run near as fast as the SLW. wow...in the mud...I finally caught her when she slipped in duck poo.very entertaining for others to see I'm sure.
The little one is Squiddly nicknamed pegleg, She started out as the worlds ugliest chick.
The big one is pirate bill.
here is proof she is/was the worlds ugliest chick

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...k-edit-with-new-pic-not-quite-so-ugly-anymore

 

[stargazingmommy]

I have about 17 birds roosting on front porch but they are elevated and dog is within 10 feet of them unless he is out patrolling property. If not elevated oppossums would be a problem and without dog oppossum, raccoon, red fox, coyote and great-horned owl would be visiting.

I love that pic. The dogs go in and out as they please, but spend a lot of time outside. I live in the city and in an are thats quite busy all the time.