18w old chickens don’t roost? Will they ever?

[LloydHomestead]

We introduced them to there forever coop about 2 weeks ago. They have about 30ft of roosting space for 20 hens and 6 roosters, we think, maybe less roosters. But at least 4 roosters. Anyways, the roosts are about 4ft off the ground, all the same level, and they have a ladder. I’ll post a pic. Will they learn to roost?? We’ve put them all up there and they all just like to cuddle in the corner on the ground. Do they have to roost ? Will it be harmful to them if they don’t?

 

[LloydHomestead]

Here’s the coop.

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you? Climate matters, especially when it comes to housing.

I'm afraid that I see several problems in those photos.

First, chickens fly at about a 45-degree angle. There doesn't appear to be enough room for them to fly up to the roosts and to safely fly down rather than just falling.

Second, that ladder is VERY steep. It's usually recommended that chickens' ramps be no steeper than about 30 degrees.

Third, I see no ventilation at the upper level. Heat and ammonia both rise so the higher levels of the coop are probably hot and stuffy.

Here is my article on coop ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

And some basic information about chickens' space needs:

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

20 hens

• 80 square feet in the coop. 8'x10' is the most practical because 7'x12' or 6'x14' require a lot of weird cuts.
• 20 feet of roost
• 200 square feet in the run. 10'x20', 12'x16' or 8'x25' as suits the land available.
• 20 square feet of ventilation.
• 5 nest boxes.

Roosters are usually larger and take up some extra space each.

Not roosting isn't harmful per se, but as they get bigger they'll drop increasing levels of poop that they're sitting in all night.

 

[Folly's place]

It looks like a storage building, not a coo. No light or ventilation, even if that back door is totally hardware cloth. And the roosts aren't easy for them to use; and if the building is five feet wide, as you describe, that's not a lot of space either. Longer roosts on each side of the building, rather than across it? Chickens need more than 12" of roost space each, so they can actually get up there, and fly down. Maybe you only have bantams? That would work better. Unless they are Silkies or frizzles, who can't fly.
Location! that helps too.
Mary

 

[rosemarythyme]

I notice you have a Silkie as your avatar. Is your flock all Silkies or what breeds do you have? Many Silkies will not roost.

Otherwise the best method to teach them to use a roost if they haven't before is to manually put them on it each night until they get the hint. However if it's hard for them to get on/off the roost or if the coop lacks sufficient ventilation/natural light at sunset, you may find it's a bigger struggle to get them to take to it.

 

[LloydHomestead]

Welcome to BYC. Where, in general, are you? Climate matters, especially when it comes to housing.

I'm afraid that I see several problems in those photos.

First, chickens fly at about a 45-degree angle. There doesn't appear to be enough room for them to fly up to the roosts and to safely fly down rather than just falling.

Second, that ladder is VERY steep. It's usually recommended that chickens' ramps be no steeper than about 30 degrees.

Third, I see no ventilation at the upper level. Heat and ammonia both rise so the higher levels of the coop are probably hot and stuffy.

Here is my article on coop ventilation: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

And some basic information about chickens' space needs:

The Usual Guidelines

For each adult, standard-sized hen you need:

• 4 square feet in the coop (.37 square meters)
• 10 square feet in the run (.93 square meters),
• 1 linear foot of roost (.3 meters),
• 1/4 of a nest box,
• And 1 square foot (.09 square meters) of permanent, 24/7/365 ventilation, preferably located over the birds' heads when they're sitting on the roost.

20 hens

• 80 square feet in the coop. 8'x10' is the most practical because 7'x12' or 6'x14' require a lot of weird cuts.
• 20 feet of roost
• 200 square feet in the run. 10'x20', 12'x16' or 8'x25' as suits the land available.
• 20 square feet of ventilation.
• 5 nest boxes.

Roosters are usually larger and take up some extra space each.

Not roosting isn't harmful per se, but as they get bigger they'll drop increasing levels of poop that they're sitting in all night.

Thank you so much for your reply, they do have 4 big windows up top I just didn’t get them in the pic. My coop does check all the boxes for what you mentioned, I’m definitely going to figure out a different ladder for them, hopefully that helps. I never would have thought that would be too steep. We’re in Texas so it’s really hot and humid.

 

[LloydHomestead]

I notice you have a Silkie as your avatar. Is your flock all Silkies or what breeds do you have? Many Silkies will not roost.

Otherwise the best method to teach them to use a roost if they haven't before is to manually put them on it each night until they get the hint. However if it's hard for them to get on/off the roost or if the coop lacks sufficient ventilation/natural light at sunset, you may find it's a bigger struggle to get them to take to it.

Thank you for your reply! I have 6 silkies and 10 buff Orpington and 10 black austrolorps. I’ve put them on the roosts like 5 times, but it takes so long to get 26 chickens up there lol

 

[LloydHomestead]

It looks like a storage building, not a coo. No light or ventilation, even if that back door is totally hardware cloth. And the roosts aren't easy for them to use; and if the building is five feet wide, as you describe, that's not a lot of space either. Longer roosts on each side of the building, rather than across it? Chickens need more than 12" of roost space each, so they can actually get up there, and fly down. Maybe you only have bantams? That would work better. Unless they are Silkies or frizzles, who can't fly.
Location! that helps too.
Mary

It is a storage building, that I made into there coop. I thought you can make a coop out of anything?? And it’s 5ftx24ft. It should be enough space for the amount of chickens I have, it’s just narrow. So I don’t think I can find wood long enough to go across long ways. And it has 4 large windows up top. Hopefully if I get a longer ladder that’s less steep they will feel more comfortable going up and down.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

You don’t need a 24’ board. You could use three 8’ boards (regular 2x4 studs, wide side flat instead of narrow side up) attached end to end down one side using heavy duty shelf brackets, and could have ladders going lengthwise instead of across. I will try to do a sketch or some photos to describe that better.

You can repurpose the boards you used for the current roosts to go around the windows on the inside to secure the hardware cloth a little better.

 

[TX Chick Noob]

Not sure if these will make it more or less confusing, lol. Here is an example of the type of shelf bracket I am taking about:

And here are sketches of the roosts. They only need to be 2-4’ above ground, just make sure they are higher than your nest boxes.