Chickens not roosting

[aart]

It might have something to do with those cockerels.

Which one of us is blind or mistaken....I see no mention of cockerels?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I had 4 hens originally and added 6 chicks this spring. Chicks turned out to be 2 roosters (black Australop) and 4 hens (amber links).

1st post second paragraph. I assume that means male.

 

[Ron Burns]

Correct, 2 roosters, 4 hens in the new mix. They have been laying all summer, I forget just went they started, but they were hatched on Feb 28, 2017 so that makes them 35 weeks old. I agree, not all that worried about it, and I don't usually force them to do anything. I figure they will figure it out if they want to, I just thought it was odd, and I hate that they lay in the poo in the straw. I use a tarp down, with straw tossed on top. I designed the coop so the whole side opens and I can slide the tarp out, poo, straw and all and add new straw. Anyway, that just means I have to clean the coop more often. No i haven't had them sleeping in the nesting boxes so that is good. I had 2 cochens that did that, but they went to a new home this summer. Drove me nuts. The roosts are 2x4 on the flat side, and like I said the other hens never cared, they roosted from the very first day I got them. These 6 are well, young acting I guess. Like I said, they don't even go in until it is pretty dark, acting like kids that want to play. I really don't think the black star (2 year old hen) is all that dominate. I have never seen her pick on the others, or anything in the run, nor when I let them run around the back yard. The roosters on the other hand are pretty dominate. Maybe the hens just think they need to sit next to the roosters, I don't know. They all end up sleeping in a big bunch in the coop.

 

[aart]

I had 4 hens originally and added 6 chicks this spring. Chicks turned out to be 2 roosters (black Australop) and 4 hens (amber links).

1st post second paragraph. I assume that means male.

I'm blind. Sorry.