Can a chicken regain its roosting instinct?

[jmc]

In the course of a relocation, due to the setup three of my birds were in, they lost their roosting instinct. Now in their new home, they never roost but pile up in the corner for the night.

Each night I set them up on the roost; this has been going on for almost two weeks. I feel that eventually, they will regain it.

Would you agree? Anyone been through this RETRAINING program.........?

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I don't really know. What you are doing sounds right. At least it's what I did to teach mine how to roost in the first place.
What are you using for a roost? Maybe they don't like the new roost?
Dunno. Chickens can be weird...

 

[seminolewind]

if its not too high and not too skinny, they will figure it out.

 

[bwebb7]

I was thinking the same thing- maybe they don't like the roost?

 

[jmc]

It's a little coop, so the roost is only about 18" off the floor, so they can reach it for sure. One of the birds, actually, never ever roosted, not even before the move. So it may be trickier with her. One other did half the time. The other one--all the time w/o fail.

The roost should be fine. It is 2" wide rounded at edges, shaped out of a 2x board. 5 or 6 weeks of not roosting may just be hard to correct.......... If I succeed, I'll post again.

Thank you, folks!