Chickens will not use roost

[RocketDad]

Perhaps making a small 2x2 roost on 2x4 blocks and putting it in their corner will convince them that its okay to roost.

 

[lauralou]

You just need to train them to roost. In nature, the mother hen does that.

Go out every night after they are already piled up for sleeping. Set them on the roost. If they jump off, do it a little later the next night. It shouldn't take long, a few nights to a week at the most.

 

[Chicken George2009]

My 2 cents... I would continue to put the birds on the roost after dark... it usually takes one night... I use a round 2 inch pole seems to work fine for me....

 

[Cindy in PA]

I have the same problem with my 25 week old bantam rocks. They sit on the roosts at different times during the day, but only 2-3 ever get up there at night. They huddle where they have since 4 weeks old when they went in the coop, right in front of the plexiglass pop door. I haven't put them up, because I'm using solar lights & so they mill around for awhile to eat & drink. When their light doesn't go on (severely cloudy day) even the two that regularly roost don't go up. Right now the sliding door is sticking up about a half an inch, so they are at the coldest place in the coop. I never had chickens that wouldn't roost by this age.

 

[shallowbranch]

Quote:
I'm sorry. I did not mean to give bad advice.

 

[fargosmom]

It's quite alright!! There's really no one right answer to many of these questions - if your hens are happy on a 2x2 that's good too. Ultimately offering them a choice of multiple size perches is actually healthier for their feet, since it allows them to use the muscles in a variety of positions. Plus that will let you know their preference since they'll probably start using one roost more than another. As long as the goal is happy hens it's all good.

 

[misspennyloise]

My seven girls will not use their roost if the light is not on in their coop.......if the light is on they will eat and then start to roost....if the light is not on then they lay in a bunch by the door. so I guess I should ask is there a light in their coop? It is just a suggestion. Oh I also provided a little step for them to go from the floor to the roost. Maybe they are spoiled.

 

[Akane]

My 2 month olds don't roost. They continue to sleep in a pile for several more weeks. Doesn't matter which coop they are in, what size of roost, what height, or how many days you stick them on it until of course they get a bit older and start doing it on their own. I haven't had any start roosting that early yet. I also haven't had any fail to roost when they get older even if they didn't have a roost previously. I had some standards in a pen for 3 1/2 months, put them outside, and they followed the other chickens up on the roosts by day 2. I kept some bantams in a pen with no roost until months after they were laying and then gave them a roost. They were sleeping on it within days with no help. If your coop is getting that dirty from 8 week olds it's not going to hold up to adults. If you do get them roosting all of that mess is just going to be under the end of a roost and it's going to multiply 20 times as they get older.

My bantams like 2x4s. They can fit their whole bodies on them so you can't really get too big of roost since they'll just sit on them. They do make for a bit of a mess though because the chickens will poop on them. 2x2s or round roosts can be easier to clean but more likely to result in frostbit feet especially for larger birds. In the other extreme my seramas and a few other small bantams keep insisting on roosting on the edge of the chick pen made of some metal mesh panels that aren't even 1/2" diameter bars on the top. They have yet to fall off.

 

[pixie74943]

I had to 'train' my first pair to use the roost (and supplied them with a ladder like collection of boxes so they could get high enough). Although my ISA found her own way up straight away. Brought her home at 8 weeks and she had her own roost, thinner around than the big girl roost. I think it helped her having a small roost she could but her feet around, it wasnt super high either, just above her head height.