At what age do chickens roost?

[hayescamp]

When do they roost instead of piling up on each other? My little ladies are still in a pile and I need to know when to put the roosts in their coop.

 

[1muttsfan]

Put them in now. Even if they don't use them to roost at night yet, they will get used to hopping up and down off them, and most chickens like to be up high to hang out during the day too.

 

[aart]

My 3 month olds are still piling...on the poop board under the roost.

 

[lfc27]

I have had a series of roosts in our brooder since their second week and all of my girls (8) love them. The first one is super low and within minutes of it being installed in the brooder three of girls were up on it. Fast forward to now, no one actually beds-down for the night on the roost - they all still prefer the warmth and comfort of their sisterly pig-pile, but they do nap on them during the day. Could it be the roost boards are too large for them?

 

[1muttsfan]

No, they are just not ready yet, when they are a little more mature they will use them just fine.

 

[DrTacosMD]

Idk if it's possible for chicken to never use the roost but I know hens used to hate the roost. So my mom and I would put the on the roost at night so they couldn't jump down since it was dark. We did it for 2 days and now they know to use the roost at night.