Chicks aren't roosting

[PineCone67]

My two buff orpingtons were exactly the same. When we first got them (around 7 weeks old) they slept on the floor:



Since they were small I did not bother and let them sleep like that. Mind you that they were quite capable of roosting during the day on various setups in the coop and out in the yard:





About when they were turning 11 weeks old and still not roosting for the night, I made a point of grabbing them every night and sitting them on the roost. Once there, they stayed on it for the remainder of the night. It took about 4 or 5 days of this 'hands-on' approach for them to finally do it on their own:



I don't know if my intervention was needed but it seemed to have worked.

 

[kkapotsy]

Lol that is life. I'll hold off. I put a branch in the run for them to perch on during the day and I've noticed the past day or two one or two of them flapping up there to sit on it, so hopefully it won't be long.

 

[aart]

I'd suggest that you take about half of the PDZ out of the board.....
.....you only need about a half an inch to take care of the poop, sift poops out with mesh organizer basket with very small holes.
Otherwise they will 'dust bathe' in it and kick it all over the place, wasteful IMO.
I also mix mine with some washed kiln dried sand to make the PDZ bag last longer.

Are they going up there at all?
Put a concrete block (16" tall) near the roost board to give them a step up.
Put the birds(some or all) on the block and on the roost and on the board during the day to get them familiar with it..
......once they get the idea, they may start roosting there.
You can also go in and put them on the roost after dark, hold wings down, place feet on roost and let go slowly.
Rinse and repeat each day.

 

[PineCone67]

I guess I need to update my original reply: for the last week or so, we're back to 'square one': ladies stopped roosting and are going to sleep right on the floor, surrounded by the shavings. I do continue to visit them every evening and prop them on the roost (where they stay for the reminder of the night). I'm a bit puzzled by this sudden reversal in the behavior ....

 

[greenfeathers]

Mine have gone the opposite direction. Two have decided the top roost bar isn't high enough and have gone to the rafter. They're now sleeping 7 feet off the ground.

 

[flockeeper]

I'm almost thinking that your roost is too big around for the chickens to get a good hold. Correct me if I'm wrong. My chickens roost on 1 1/2 inch, octagon shaped, wooden bars. What I've done to get them started roosting when their young is to put a small low to the ground roost in their brooder at about 1 week. And when they outgrow it increased the size.

 

[kkapotsy]

I came to say they still aren't roosting. lol. I choose the 2x3 (it's about 2x3 I can't remember exact but smaller than a 2x4) as it's in between the 2x4 and 2x2, and I read they prefer the wider surface. I'm thinking about just removing the poop board and roost and doing it all on the floor for them. I'm worried about them not roosting, and I need to open the nesting boxes soon.

That's what I'm thinking of doing... But I really wanted the sand/pdz as litter just for ease of cleaning and whatnot. Is that still possible for the bedding on the floor if I remove the poop board? I liked the idea of my set up and now I'm worried that the idea isn't going to mesh with reality haha.

 

[junebuggena]

Deep breath. They will roost. Eventually. My first batch of chicks didn't start using roosts until 14 to 16 weeks old. It takes them a while to figure it out if there are no adults to show them. You are still a couple months from getting eggs, so there is still plenty of time. Relax.

 

[aart]

I came to say they still aren't roosting. lol. I choose the 2x3 (it's about 2x3 I can't remember exact but smaller than a 2x4) as it's in between the 2x4 and 2x2, and I read they prefer the wider surface. I'm thinking about just removing the poop board and roost and doing it all on the floor for them. I'm worried about them not roosting, and I need to open the nesting boxes soon.

That's what I'm thinking of doing... But I really wanted the sand/pdz as litter just for ease of cleaning and whatnot. Is that still possible for the bedding on the floor if I remove the poop board? I liked the idea of my set up and now I'm worried that the idea isn't going to mesh with reality haha.

I haven't seen you acknowledge any suggestions or answer questions asked:

I'd suggest that you take about half of the PDZ out of the board.....
.....you only need about a half an inch to take care of the poop, sift poops out with mesh organizer basket with very small holes.
Otherwise they will 'dust bathe' in it and kick it all over the place, wasteful IMO.
I also mix mine with some washed kiln dried sand to make the PDZ bag last longer.

Are they going up there at all?
Put a concrete block (16" tall) near the roost board to give them a step up.
Put the birds(some or all) on the block and on the roost and on the board during the day to get them familiar with it..
......once they get the idea, they may start roosting there.
You can also go in and put them on the roost after dark, hold wings down, place feet on roost and let go slowly.
Rinse and repeat each day.

Deep breath. They will roost. Eventually. My first batch of chicks didn't start using roosts until 14 to 16 weeks old. It takes them a while to figure it out if there are no adults to show them. You are still a couple months from getting eggs, so there is still plenty of time. Relax.

Agrees^^^^^

 

[kkapotsy]

I'm sorry if you think I'm disregarding advice given :/ Some of it doesn't really apply, like the amount of PDZ I put on the board and how to clean it. I'm good there.

They get up on the roost fine. I've come out in the morning to them up there and get excited thinking they have spent the night, only to find the poop board basically free of poop (or one or two droppings but not a nights' worth). So I know they can get up there. I HAVE gone out there at dark and put them on the roost, but as soon as I move away, they hop back down, and I decided (after making this thread) that I would give it time.

Being a new chicken owner I'm not sure when I should be worried or taking matters further by rearranging my set up