Chickens won't roost!!! They are around 11 weeks old now and I put them in a brand new coop about a week ago and they have yet to get up on the roost. It's only 33 inches off the ground (lower than the window and they fly up to it all the time) set up ladder style with poo board underneath. They all walk in about 9:00PM and crowd into one corner on top of each other. It has to be 85 degrees in there at that time, I keep thinking I'm going to find one or two dead the next morning. What am I doing wrong?
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This is what works for me. They will probably fly down and you'll have to pick them up again, it probably wont seem like it working at first but eventually they will get the idea. Make sure it just about completely dark(when they are already huddled in the corner but light enough that you can see). Pick them up one by one as fast as you can as to get more than one up there and keep repeating for a week or so. This does work after awile from my experience.
I sprinkle scratch on the perch when they are all in there in the evening so they can see me and the curosity brings them right up. A couple nights of this and its done. This has worked for me a few times.
Thanks, I'll sure give it a try; especially the scratch on the perch. The wife and I have already tried putting them on the perch but they jump off faster than we can get them caught and up there.
Beagle it took about 10 days for mine to use the roost when they moved to the big house. Even then there were a few that took longer. They were 8-10 weeks then I think.
I posted the exact same question a few weeks ago but my chickens a much older. Here is the thread, there was some very helpful advice. The thing that did the trick was I had to move the roost away from the wall of the coop more.
my ladies n my man start going into their chicken coop about 45 minutes before dark which i tell them it is bed time. the first two nights i had to chase them into the coop from their run . i says go into your house it is nighty nighty timed the third night i was calling them in. i was filling their feeders and giving them fresh water in the coop. i pick them up and put them on my hand and they move up on my forearm[between my wrist n elbow and walk over to the perch[2x4 inch wide] 4inch is what they are sitting on while perch {about 4ft off the floor} i lower my arm so the perch was higher and their chest could feel the perch and told them to step up and then when they did i put my hand on top of them and say that was a good girl. and then did each one like that. for 2 night.
the 3rd night they were all in the chicken coop about 45 min before dark. 2 of them was already sitting on the perch. while i was filling the feeders a water jug. 2 more flew up. so i had to put up 5 more girls.
the 4th night they[girls] was a perch all by them self.
the roo had to pick up by both hand under his wring and lift him up he cannot sit on my hand or arm fly up
to this night
this is about 10 th night in there new home coop.
fyi the temperature inside there coop is 85 to 89. to darm hot outside.
my hubby wake up n goes outside about 6ish
and hear them all on the floor walking a round it give them a chance to eat their layers/pellest and drink their water
we open the coop door about 730am.
now during the day they all go in and out to eat their pellets.
they all ran inside when it start raining too. wow they are smart.
there mommy[me] got soak wet checking on them.
My perch is 3 different 2X4's laying flat so they have 31/2 inches to set on. The highest roost is about 51/2 ft. high and there is still 3 foot of ceiling room left. Thanks for all the ideas, I'm still working with them!
