Chickies won't roost!

[OffBeatBetty]

Hello! I have 4 chicks that are a little over 2 months old. 3 silkies and 1 orpington. They have been in their coop/run for a couple of weeks now and I still have to "herd" them up the ramp and close them up in their coop at night. The coop is only 1 1/2 feet above the ground and the ramp is not steep at all. It is covered with hardware cloth so they can easily grip and walk up. Even after a couple of weeks of putting them to bed at dusk, they will not go in under their own accord. I've seen them "playing" on the ramp and walking all the way up and down... but not going in the coop. Is this because I predominately have silkies which do not roost? They always just snuggle in a pile in their run. I've tried putting treats on the ramp and up in the coop, but they still don't go in. I was unaware that it would take this long to get them to roost. Is this normal? Ideas?!?

 

[quigley257]

My chickens are now over 4 months old and don't roost either. They will go up into the coop but they all like to sleep in a pile in a corner or in one of the nest boxes. I have 2 GLWs 2BRs and a GSL. It's 90 degrees here in MO, I would think that roosting on a perch would be more comfortable than sleeping in a pile...

 

[angel8035]

Try putting a light inside the coop so when it gets dark they are attracted to going inside. Make sure there is no light outside the coop because that can confuse them.

 

[skippyscage]

I've got a couple of 4 month old hens that like to sleep together in a nest box - last week one of them suddenly started to roost with the one plus year old hen.

Now I have one that sleeps in the nest box, I just open the egg door after they've gone to bed and give her a little prod and she moved to the roost with the others.

I think it's just and age and learning thing.