9 week old chicks not roosting

My Very First 6 Chickens

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May 5, 2021
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Hello, I’ve a attached a couple of pics. Located in CT. They are 9 weeks old, 6 BSL’s that are not Roosting. Pics included. I hope those roosting bars are not inadequate with the windows not being above the roosting bars.
Should I be concerned? They’re still kinda young so I’m hopeful they’ll get up there! If I do the nighttime intrusion to manually place them, I have to open the litter door to reach them in the far corner, and they will be wide awake and not letting me touch them! I havnt tried the night time placement yet. I think i need to try. All of your opinions are welcome. Thank you!
🐥❤️
 

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Nice coop! Maybe set them on the bars at night? I'm not sure when mine started roosting on the bars but my bars were much higher than yours. I think they were a little older than 9 weeks.
 
Hello, I’ve a attached a couple of pics. Located in CT. They are 9 weeks old, 6 BSL’s that are not Roosting. Pics included. I hope those roosting bars are not inadequate with the windows not being above the roosting bars.
Should I be concerned? They’re still kinda young so I’m hopeful they’ll get up there! If I do the nighttime intrusion to manually place them, I have to open the litter door to reach them in the far corner, and they will be wide awake and not letting me touch them! I havnt tried the night time placement yet. I think i need to try. All of your opinions are welcome. Thank you!
🐥❤️
How long are the roosts?
Not much space between roosts and walls for getting up and down.
Need about 1 linear foot of roost length per bird,
so maybe remove one roost and center the other.
 
How long are the roosts?
Not much space between roosts and walls for getting up and down.
Need about 1 linear foot of roost length per bird,
so maybe remove one roost and center the other.
Roosts are about 6ft long. I did remove one roost and also put a lower roost about 6 inches from floor. Remaining hopeful. They love roosting on my legs so I know they have it in them! 🐥❤️
 

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Nine weeks is pretty young, in my experience. They're still babies and like to do that "cuddle puddle" on the floor for a while. You could go in there at just dark with a head lamp (preferably red) and pick them up manually and deposit them on the roosts for 3 or 4 nights, that usually does it. Or you could just wait a few more weeks. They usually seem to catch on between about 12 and 15 weeks, in my experience. Good luck! ❤️
 
Roosts are about 6ft long. I did remove one roost and also put a lower roost about 6 inches from floor. Remaining hopeful. They love roosting on my legs so I know they have it in them! 🐥❤️
These look just like my Gold Laced Wyandotte, BSL should have single combs. I have 9 Wyandotte that are about 12ish weeks and they sleep on top of the prefab 🙄 This was a few weeks ago, before they started lacing out

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Today, they are getting very lacey now
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I'm a sucker for Wyandottes myself! My first "mini" flock was 2 SLW's and a PBR. My current flock is 13 pullets, including 1 GLW!

As for "when they start roosting", it depends on the bird and the mood they're in that day. Most of my current flock started pretty young, but I had small roost bars in their brooder starting at about 4 weeks old. Tonight though, I can see Goldie Hen (my GLW) decided to sleep on the floor anyway, she's roughly 6 1/2 months old now.
 

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My 18-week old Ameracaunas still don't roost. We have over 50 chickens and all but the youngest (the 18 weekers) roost every night with the exception of the two New Hampshires, who sleep on top of one of the coops. Most of the chicks we raise take a while to graduate to roosting. Most start by sleeping on the floor of one of the coops, cuddled with their hatchmates until one eventually gets the brilliant idea to sleep on a roost. Then the others quickly make the change as well.

I'd leave them be. They'll make the move to the roost bars on their own when they're ready.
 

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