when do chicks start to roost ?

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Homestead girl

Homestead girl

Chirping
6 Years
May 2, 2013
172
9
83
Jasper Georgia
We built a coop 24 x 12 and we weren't able to finish getting the roost up at first. Due to my husband's job. So I put up one of the roost poles across the coop about 10 inches off the floor. The Chicks had boxes and tote's to sleep in with pine shavings. I still had a light on them due to the cold weather spells we were having.
This past weekend we finished the roost it starts at the ground and goes up to 5 feet high. I removed all the boxes and totes that they were using cause it was just getting hard to keep them clean. My chicks are 7-8-9-11 weeks old.
They are all going on the roost except the 7 week old EE they just get in the corner and huddle together . So today I felt sorry for them and gave them back a tote to get into.
When will they get on the roost ? Is this normal ? Or should I just take the tote away and just let them huddle ?

HELP
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ChickensAreSweet said:
Oftentimes chicks won't roost until 2, 3, 4 months old. It is completely normal to huddle on the floor until older.
Click to expand...


I agree. Most of the time my brooder raised chicks start roosting overnight at maybe 10 to 12 weeks old. I’ve had some start as early as five weeks. I’ve had some start a lot later, but I don’t keep track to see exactly when they start. They roost when they roost.

I’ve had broodies take their chicks to the roosts when they were two weeks old. They first flew to the top of my nests, maybe 2’ off the floor, then they launched from there and flew 2 feet vertical and three feet horizontal to land on the roosts. It was obvious watching them that they could have gone a lot further if they wanted to at 2 weeks old.

So yes, you have the right idea. When they are ready they will get up there. Until then, expect them ot huddle on the floor, usually in a corner.
 
How big is your coop? One roost across it is probably plenty. For three hens I’d suggest a minimum of 3 feet total roost length. More will not hurt but is not required. The roost needs to be a least a foot off the wall.

How high? As low as you can reasonably make it, but higher than anything you don’t want them roosting on or in. That usually means nests. They poop a lot at night. You really don’t want poopy eggs. Chickens tend to roost on the highest place available.

The way I set the roost height is to first install the nests. Then put the roosts about 12” above the top of the nests. That’s as low as you can reasonably make it.
 
Chicks roosting is like human toddlers toilet training. They just do it when they're ready. Some early, some late. Some do it easily with no fuss, some cause a lot of drama and noise. I can just about guarantee they'll be roosting by 6 months. Before that, why stress about it?
 

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