At what age do they start roosting?

[gale65]

Our chicks are only 5 weeks so it's probably early but some of the do fly up to the roost during the day and rest there. But at night they are all in the corner in a huddled mass. When do they usually start roosting at night? Also our roosts are probably close to 3' off the ground so do they need a ramp?

 

[Gallusfarm]

We have the same problem with youngsters. A lot of cheeping and peeping, then the huddled mass in the corner. Our roost pole is lower than yours, we have one in the youngster's coop about 1 ft. from the floor. I guess around 8 weeks or so, they begin sleeping on the roost. I wouldn't worry about it too much - they will come around. I do worry about the big pile, someone getting crushed over night. It doesn't matter if you put them on the roost every night - if they don't want to be on there, they will fly off.

Good luck!

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

They are all different. I have chicks who will sleep on a roost at night as early as 5 weeks old, tucked up under mom or the rooster.


I have a pullet who will be a year in less than 10 days, and she still sleeps on the floor if I am late closing up the main coop. Otherwise, she greats me at the door, I pick her up and put her up on the roost. Only twice in her life has she actually gone to roost herself.

 

[lotsablessings]

My roosting bar is about 2 feet off the ground and my 4wk olds are already roosting. I also set them outside at 3 weeks, being in Florida summer weather. Maybe since I set mine out side earlier then most, perhaps that prompts them to roost sooner?

My 8wk olds roost on a bar that is around 3ft high.

 

[ajay]

Mine starting roosting around 4-5 weeks. All it took was one to make the others jump up too.

 

[afj6710]

Mine are all roosting now at 6 weeks and up. but, i think it took a couple of them sleeping up there for the rest of them to get the idea.

 

[cmom]

I have a roost for the chicks in my brooder coop. They are constantly up and down on it.

 

[stcroixusvi]

Most of mine roosted at 2-3 weeks. They also roosted the first night in their coop - at 6 weeks, which surprised me. The RIRs were the last to take to the roost, and the last to move away from the light in the coop and sleep up on the roost.
Here is one in the brooder:

 

[monaname]

Quote:
What a cute pic!!!! Makes me smile.

 

[gale65]

We do have a little roost like that in there. It's about 3.5" up (since it's on 2 x 4 pieces). But they don't all fit on it anymore.