CHICKENS ARE NOT ROOSTING

[The_Coop]

My chickens are turning 18 weeks this coming Monday and they still are not roosting!!
When going to lock up the chickens at night, there are 0/19 chickens roosting. They will all go into the corner of the coop and huddle together by the nest box which makes it dirty. I've recently heard that I need to clean the coop often and I have tried that and it hasn't worked. I have also tried to put them on the roosting bar myself but that doesn't seem to work either.
I do have a goose so I was wondering if that has something to do with it?
Any Ideas???

 

[50-45-1]

Is the roost at an appropriate height?
Do you see them up on it during the day?
Since they are to young to lay block off the nest boxes.

 

[AltonaAcres]

I set my juvenile birds on the roost each evening until most or all figure it out for themselves.

 

[The_Coop]

OK, Thanks! I will keep trying

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

I had a couple of birds who were six months old and not roosting. I put them on the roost night after night and nothing worked. Eventually I just gave up. Then one night... they were on the roost. And the next night.

They were in a flock of birds who knew how to roost, and it took them a while to get the message, but they figured it out eventually.

I also had a flock of chicks that wouldn't roost. Put them on the roost night after night after night. Nothing. Then one night they were on the roost. Sometimes it just takes a while for them to get it.

 

[The_Coop]

Is the roost at an appropriate height?
Do you see them up on it during the day?
Since they are to young to lay block off the nest boxes.

Yeah, I had a batch of 19 before these ones and they were completely fine with roosts, and yes I do see them on it during the day sometimes. Since they will be laying in the next couple of days/weeks, I wanted to keep the nest boxes open with fake eggs.
Do you think its worth it to close the nest boxes again?

 

[The_Coop]

I had a couple of birds who were six months old and not roosting. I put them on the roost night after night and nothing worked. Eventually I just gave up. Then one night... they were on the roost. And the next night.

They were in a flock of birds who knew how to roost, and it took them a while to get the message, but they figured it out eventually.

I also had a flock of chicks that wouldn't roost. Put them on the roost night after night after night. Nothing. Then one night they were on the roost. Sometimes it just takes a while for them to get it.

OK maybe they will do it soon!!
Thanks!!!!

 

[50-45-1]

Either that or move them by hand to the roosts after dark.
If its dark, they will stay put untill morning.

 

[SBFChickenGirl]

Either that or move them by hand to the roosts after dark.
If its dark, they will stay put untill morning.

XD that's what I thought until they jumped off and continued in their pile of feathers. I've gone out in the pitch black before and they jump down no matter what. IMO there's nothing that you can do to get them to roost. They'll figure it out eventually.

 

[Minky]

I have a 9 week old chick that lays downs and sleeps in the nest box, like on his side. LOL