6 week old chicks not using roost

[catterbug]

So we put the 6 week old chicks into their big girl brooder last week. It has a roost and plenty of room to move. They still sleep on the ground. I am just worried because my chicks last year when they were moved just went and roosted. Do I need to train them somehow or is it ok for them to never roost? When they get moved to the big coop with my other hens which do roost, will I have a problem?

 

[lady feathers]

It may be just cause it's new.... I have lots of chicks this year most of them are 5 weeks now half of them use the roosts and half of them sleep on the ground together. I have seen most of them use the roosts from time to time. If you want to train them just pick them up and place them on it, especially while they are sleeping.... eventually they will get the idea, but I don't think it'll hurt if the sleep on the floor of the coop either!

 

[gryeyes]

I think it's a matter of confidence and practice. Most of my chicks do not roost when sleeping until they are around 12 weeks old. They get up there and practice like big chickens during the day, but not at night. I think it may just take some time to develop balancing skills whilst asleep.

Nothing to worry about, they WILL get it eventually. You do not have to train them!

 

[callahanfarmgirl]

I am having the same problem with my 8 week olds. The 1st 3 nights I was going out there putting all 35 of them on the roost, but as soon as I would get them up there they would try to huddle up almost on top of each other causing several to going flying to the ground. I finally gave up. They play on the roost during the day but at night I find them all huddled up on the ground. I sure hope everyone is right, that eventually they will roost on their own!!!!!

 

[ericz]

i have 8-week old rhode island red and some bantams, and they are on and off the roost. sometimes i'll peep in there and thre's three bantams and three RIRs on the roost and the rest of the huddled together in the straw, other times they are all on the floor.

 

[donrae]

They get more heat huddling together on the ground than being on the roost, I think. My seven weekers are still sleeping on the ground. Personally, I don't care if they sleep there forever, but they never do. My last year's are roosting in the birch tree

 

[Mandee297]

This is good to read. We moved our four 6-week old chicks outside to coop and they were sleeping all huddled in nesting boxes. I’ve covered them hoping they’d use the roosts but instead they are just huddled together on ground. I’m going to keep the nesting baskets covered a couple weeks and hope they make their way to the roosts on their own
Unfortunately the nest boxes are higher than the roost bars