Chickens not roosting

[5 Points Wingfeather]

I have 6 chickens and a rooster in one coop and there is 8 ft of roosting space. But only 2 of them get on roost bars. And those two don’t get on them every night. The roosting bars are 2x4s. The chickens will be a year old in July

1. How important is it for them to roost on the roosting bars at night?

2 How can I encourage them to do so?

 

[Iluveggers]

Where are they sleeping instead? How high off of the floor is your roost bar? What is it made out of?

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

Where are they sleeping instead? How high off of the floor is your roost bar? What is it made out of?

One of them is 2 feet of the floor the other is 4 feet off the floor. They are made from 2x4s. The chickens sleep together in a corner of coop (which the coop itself is 4 feet off the ground). They slept in that corner ever since I took them out of the brooder and they just never stopped. except for the two of them who like to roost

 

[Iluveggers]

Mine took a few months to move out of the corner, but with yours being a year it would seem they'd want to roost by now. If you want them up there, I would suggest putting something in the corner where they usually sleep for a few days, and once it’s dark go in and pick the non roosting chickens up and place them on the roost. See if after a few days they go up on their own. 2 feet is a reasonable height to reach (I thought maybe a few heavy breeds couldn’t get up there but that height is perfectly fine).

 

[KazzaMags]

I have 4 white leghorn rescue hens, I have had them for 9 months, but they refuse to roost and 2 of them are now choosing to stay outside the coop at night - we have to lift them into it at night as we do have local foxes! They have to climb up a ramp ladder to get into the coop which is about a metre off the ground - they have done it every day for the last 9 months - so why choose now to stop!! I've checked and there are no mites, no infestations the coop is big and only 4 hens - I wondered if it was because they spent the first year of their life in a big shed with thousands of other hens - and never roosted!! Please help - I'm at the end of what I know!!

 

[rosemarythyme]

I have 4 white leghorn rescue hens, I have had them for 9 months, but they refuse to roost and 2 of them are now choosing to stay outside the coop at night

Photos of your set up inside and out?

 

[Pepper jack]

One of them is 2 feet of the floor the other is 4 feet off the floor. They are made from 2x4s. The chickens sleep together in a corner of coop (which the coop itself is 4 feet off the ground). They slept in that corner ever since I took them out of the brooder and they just never stopped. except for the two of them who like to roost

That is how all of mine sleep also. All 5 have never wanted to roost. They just sleep all huddled together about 4-5 feet off the ground. I clean the poop out every day.

 

[Pepper jack]

That is how all of mine sleep also. All 5 have never wanted to roost. They just sleep all huddled together about 4-5 feet off the ground. I clean the poop out every day.

Mine are 8 months old. I don't imagine they will ever change. They like sleeping together!

 

[Mrs. K]

The advantage of the roost, is the poop falls away and they stay cleaner.

 

[5 Points Wingfeather]

Hey I made this thread a good while back. My flock has had a little turnover since then but here’s the update: the 6 birds who are least a year old are roosting now. The two who aren’t quite laying yet are not roosting. I imagine it’s a flock dynamic thing. They all seem get along normal. No excessive bullying. If the two POL pullets don’t roost by spring I may add another roost bar or something.

Anyway, I say all that to say it seems to mostly be solved.