Corner cuddling

[junkman56]

My 9 chicks 7 weeks old, have now been in with the 7 hens now for going on about a week. Inside my coop I have a roost board that is 13 ft. Long with a poop board 6 " under it. The top hen roosts about 3 ft. Away from where the chicks are. 3 chicks stay on the roost, and the other 6 chicks are crowded in the corner on the poop board, they will not go to the roost board. At the other end of the roost there is about 6 ft. or more of empty space. How do I get these chicks to quit piling on each other in the corner of the poop board?
Should I remove them from the corner and place them on the other end of the roost? Or should I just let them make the decision?

 

[azygous]

Chicks need teaching. Usually a broody hen will show her chicks where to roost. You are their mama, so it's up to you. Moving them to the perch will show them what to do, and after a few nights, they will go there on their own.

 

[junkman56]

Chicks need teaching. Usually a broody hen will show her chicks where to roost. You are their mama, so it's up to you. Moving them to the perch will show them what to do, and after a few nights, they will go there on their own.

They will all go to the roost, but when the hens come in the coop to roost, the chicks will go back out unroll all the hens are roosting, then the chicks come up to the roost and all but 3 will cuddle in the corner away from the hens.

 

[azygous]

It's natural for chicks to be intimidated by the older chickens. Sometimes it works to put up a partition on the perch so the chicks feel security from the older flock members. I staple a heavy curtain to the roof over the perch and let it hang down. It's a quick fix that's worked for me over the years.

 

[aart]

Maybe put up another roost.
But...chicks like to pile, even when not contending with older birds.
Can take time...move them after dark or let them figure it out.

Last year my 6wo's were on the main roost within a couple days of the partition wall coming down....brave bunch that one.
Just took the wall own today, will be interesting to see where these littles sleep tonite.

 

[junkman56]

I had two ramps to get up to the roost, one for hens, one for chicks, I removed the one I had for the chicks hoping they go to other side and see all that empty roost board over there

 

[junkman56]

Maybe put up another roost.
But...chicks like to pile, even when not contending with older birds.
Can take time...move them after dark or let them figure it out.

Last year my 6wo's were on the main roost within a couple days of the partition wall coming down....brave bunch that one.
Just took the wall own today, will be interesting to see where these littles sleep tonite.

Today I plan on making some changes inside the coop to acoomadate the chicks.
How did your little one sleep last night?

 

[aart]

How did your little one sleep last night?

On the floor, I moved them up to a roost/poop board and most piled on the board.
After full dark I moved them back to the roost..where I think they stayed all night.
They were all up there, 'hiding' from the bigs, when I went out this morning well after sunrise.

I actually sat and watched for an hour or two last night at roost time.
I have 3 subflocks at this time, 14 adults, 4 at 11wos, and 14 at 6wos
All the adults came in and filled their crops, chasing all subordinates out of the coop.
Once the adults were all roosted up the 11wos came in, who chased all the tinies out.
Once the 11wos were all up, the 6wos came in and fed, then bedded down on the floor as usual.

This morning the 2 older groups went out into main run for scratch grains, as usual, while I cleaned..and the chicks came down from roost to eat and drink...oh I could go on and on....conclusion, sorry for the rambling, is that the younger birds will 'hide' from the olders, and the olders will intimidate them, until they all start laying, then they will meld into a more cohesive flock tho there will still be 'cliques' and pecking order shifts and battles.

 

[junkman56]

I went out to the coop this morning and I extended the poop board and roost, I also put up some chicken wire at the roost so the hens and the chicks will have there own area to roost at night without cramping into the corner of the poop board, to stay clear of the hens.