Any Benefit to Sleeping on Roost?

[Ghostnuke]

I picked up 8 newbies from a place where they didn't have roosts. So of course since they're used to sleeping on the ground, they don't use any of the plethora of roosts I have up for them now. They just get into a big pile on the ground.

I can start trying to get them to roost at night, but is there any point? Does it hurt anything just letting them sleep on the ground?

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

Young birds will sleep in a pile on the floor. They will out grow this.

The importance/urgency is .. Do they roost openly in an area that is not fenced or protected? Or do they have a coop that is shut at night and secure?
Not a problem for either I have done both, but if they are in an unsecure area then you'll want to encourage roosting now. Also it should be pretty dark so they don't jump back down and if they are with other older birds (or even birds from there group) when they see those birds start roosting up high they will follow. Chickens are very money-see-monkey-doo.. with everything. If one hops a fence the others may also..

The point to roosting up high..
Is because they should have a small alarm going off in their brain as they mature and as dusk approaches to 'get off the ground or death will find them'.. They are animals of prey and they know this. Just like horses, rabbits, etc they will learn to fear certain things.

 

[Txwingnut]

How old are they? My previous flock were older (4 months old) and they took to the roosts/perches pretty fast. My new flock is only about 5 weeks old now and are just starting to use the perches.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

Agreed I have noted that with different batches of chicks - usually different breeds too.. they roost at different rates. My Australorps were 4 months when they started to roost and my Leghorns were 1.5-2 months and some started to roost. I did however encourage roosting with a wooden 2x4 off the ground for them...

 

[Ghostnuke]

They're still pretty small, I would guess 4-5 weeks. They are caged in and safe.

 

[Chelsa'sChicks]

Oh geez they wont start to roost prob until they are around 2 months-ish. As long as they are safe they are fine. If your able you can put a piece of wood or branch in there with them to encourage roosting. They will play on them then you'll note slowly one is perched.. the next few nights its 3 perched etc. When my hens were finally grown to be added with the rest of my flock I stuck them in the loft of their coop.. (Yes the coop has a loft which is awesome cause everyone still uses the nests lol YAY) and now that is the young birds preference.. I have other hens who like to roost in the barn rafters about 35ft up so it depends on the bird.

Each bird is an individual and will do what they think is 'good enough'. One new rooster tried to roost 2 ft off the ground. I had to move him 3 nights in a row. At my place that is NOT high enough you will get snatched up. My other hens 35 ft.. I have no worries. Nothing has or I doubt will ever be that crazy or hungry to climb that high and go into the middle of the barn rafters.. because they don't roost near the edges. How does she get up there? Flutters up the latter .. to get down she either jumps and lands on her butt bouncing or will take the hay conveyer belt down.

 

[OhZark Biddies]

I put my chicks ( 4 different breeds including a few bantams) out side in the coop at 4 weeks... they slept in a pile on the ground the first couple of days.

I was concerned someone would get smothered, or if a snake got in it would more easily find them on the ground.

So I went out after dark one night and put them all on the roost one by one.

The next night about a third of them roosted on their own. So I put the rest on the roost.

Then the next night all but 2 roosted, so I put them up on the roost.

After that they all had it figured out.