11 weeks, not roosting

[KellyDel]

I hatched 6 chicks that are now 11 weeks old. They've been outside in the coop for 3 weeks. Their setup is a small coop inside of a large run. Still after 3 weeks of being in there, they don't go up in the coop to roost. Some of them will roost on a random stick I have in the run, and others will just snuggle on the ground, in or out of the coop. 2 are silkies so I know they may not ever roost, but the others and more standard breeds. Every night I place them all upstairs in the coop, and they settle in, but still do not go up by themselves. How can I encourage them? My other flocks just did it naturally.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You just keep putting them in there until they do it themselves. Some get it, and others take more time. If it's a smaller set up it may be why.

 

[WingItRanch]

What's the ramp going to the coop look like? It might be too steep or not enough rungs.

 

[Project Blue]

Put mealworms on the ramp and upstairs during the day.

 

[Ahoragi]

Our chickens are about 11 weeks. They were not roosting at week 9 and we had to physically go in there and put them on the roosts. Some tips I got from these fine folks here is go in when it's dark and lift them up and on the roosts and press down on their backs lightly and they will learn. Also don't use any light when you do this so they cannot see where to get down. First time it did not work (I used light), second time was semi-successful(very minimal light) as they stayed on the roosts till we closed the door but then started jumping down but after that they were up roosting on the highest bar.

 

[thistlewick]

^^ What Ahoragi said. You have to teach them where the roosts are. They won't all just be curious and go up the ramp.

We had to do this with our first flock, took a couple days of us putting them up on the roosts at sundown. Then they just started doing it by themselves!