5 week olds refuse to roost

[cackle]

We have 41 5 week old chicks and they will not stay on the roost at night. We go out and put them up and they jump back down. Finally we get tired of moving chicks and come back into the house. Any suggestions?

 

[Kittymomma]

Mine were almost 12 weeks old before they would all stay on the roost. I think time will solve your problem.

Love your sig line!! I went from 6 to over 30 and keep catching myself looking at incubators and eggs for sale.

 

[cackle]

I really don't remember the others being this stubborn. Thanks time will tell and right now maybe they like to huddle for warmth.

 

[fldiver97]

Yes, mine 'tested' the roost around that age but slept on a shelf.....They started roosting late but on their own. Now I have 2 almost 8 week old chickens that started on they own about a week ago....Go figure (they did not watch the older girls, they are still in quarantine...)

 

[GaNewChick]

Mine slept in a corner huddled together on the ground for a week or two ~ they figured it out on their own.

 

[Critter Crazed]

.....Mine are 13 weeks old and still sleep on the ground of their coop.

I thought this was normal? I have 9 silkies and 1 bantam cochin. I guess mine are just not normal.

I do know that silkies don't roost as often or at all because they have trouble flying up to the roost. Are they silkies?

 

[cackle]

This is actually our thrid group. The first we put on the roost for about 3 nights then they figured it out. The second which included silkies were in a tractor and roosted from a young age. These are EE and Sussexs from Ideal. They are a little over 5 weeks old. The roost and 2x4s so maybe they need to be 1x2s?