Chickens not wanting to roost

[Feeder]

My chicks like to huddle together in the corner of the coop. They have been doing this since they were little, they huddle up front by the opening of the coop. Open air design is this good or bad for them in the cold months. I've tried to put them on there roost at night , not what they want. Any suggestions would help. Thanks all.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You don't say how old your chicks are. I've had a broody take her chicks to the roosts at 1-1/2 weeks old in the summer. I've had them wait until 4 weeks at times. I'm not talking about them playing on the roosts during the day. I'm talking about them sleeping on the roosts at night.

I've had brooder raised chicks start roosting at 5 weeks. I've had brooder raised chicks start roosting at 12 weeks. Others have posted that theirs take a lot longer to start roosting.

Each chicken is a living individual with its own personality. Each flock has its own dynamics depending on a lot of different things and those dynamics can change over time. There is no definite time limit or schedule for these types of things. They will roost when they are ready to roost. Until then, expect them to sleep together on the floor, not because they are cold, but because they like each other's company.

 

[bobbieschicks]

If your chicks are younger they probably prefer to huddle to stay warm and for safety. Mine stayed down on the floor until 9 weeks or so. They'll roost when they are ready. Some chicks just like to stay down low.

 

[ChickenCrazy4ever]

That's strange. Ours loved to roost.

Even when we had them in the brooder we made a 2 inch high roost from a broom stick and a fifth of them would always be sitting on it.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Quote:
Playing on the perches during the day and roosting at night are two different things.

 

[ChickenCrazy4ever]

Quote:
Playing on the perches during the day and roosting at night are two different things.

They slept on it at night, but during the day they would sit on it too.

 

[Feeder]

Thanks for all the reply's, my girl's are 9 months old. 8 hens and one roo, when they were small i had them in a big wash tub with a couple of bricks, they would set on top. There coop is 8x 16, they free range every day. When they come in for the night they just gather in the corner of the coop, and huddle together. they use to do that in the brooder, so i guess some habits are hard to break. With the cold weather coming i don't like the idea of them next to the opening of the coop at night.https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/94469_img_8822.jpg[/img]

 

[bobbieschicks]

I've reread the thread and I also don't see what kind of chicks you have. Some chicks just don't like to roost - like Silkies may prefer to be down on the ground in a huddle. My Silkies are roosting but not all Silkies like to. So what breed of chicks do you have?

The way I got my 1st clutch of chicks to go up on the roost - I went out there every night for 5 nights in a row and put them up on it after they fell asleep. I have a horizontal roost - so it was easy. However, they still didn't stay up there - they would fly right back down as soon as I was done. I finally just left them alone and by the time they were 9 weeks old they roosted all by themselves without my help.

And yes, that clutch consisted of 4 White Leghorn roosters and 1 White Leghorn pullet. Foghorn and Snow White are still here, but I miss my other 3 boys!

 

[chickschool]

Mine are almost 2 years old and they still prefer to sleep together in a corner of the coop. I'm not saying that they don't ever roost but they tend to huddle together. I think one reason might be is because they are silkies and they get broody a lot and want to sit? I don't know but I kind of like them snuggling together.

 

[Feeder]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/94469_img_8819.jpg https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/uploads/94469_img_8821.jpg
My chickens and my coop.