Creating an enticing roost for young chickens?

[Minimammelfarm]

My husband and I just started a small hobby farm with 6 chickens and two baby pigmy goats. We are having a blast. We built a mini barn 12x12 and have a section portioned off for our chickens. We bought the chicks at our local feed store, I am unsure how old the baby chickens were when we purchased them so it is hard to determine their exact age but we brought them home the beginning of May so I know they are at least two months old. For the first six weeks we had them in a dog crate in the basement. This worked fine and they all slept in a big huddle on the floor of the crate with bedding. Now that they have moved to their new home in the barn they still sleep on the floor in a huddle. Is there a way to encourage them to roost? We have used an old painting ladder and the surface for roosting is about 3" inches wide and it is flat. I know they can make the jump up onto the ladder because I see them checking it out during the day. But they only go to the second step. I thought that roosts needed to be higher than nesting boxes and that nesting boxes needed to be a minimum of 18" off the floor. We have not put the nesting boxes in there yet as I wanted to see them roosting. I figured if I gave them nice nesting boxes they may end up sleeping in those so that is why I am holding back on those. Any advice would be appreciated on how to get them to roost. Or if there is something else I am missing. The indoor portion of their coop is about 6'x4' and has endless options for configuring at this point. Thanks in advance!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It takes a little time. Some like to roost at a month but most will wait 3 or 4 months.
If you have high roosts already, you're probably OK. Just perhaps install a lower one temporarily. Eventually they'll want to roost as high as possible.
I'd just write in your flock journal that they hatched May 1 and that should be close enough.

ETA
Oh, I forgot to say welcome!

 

[centrarchid]

The most effective method for me to get chicks to roost up if mother is not already doing it is to use a fully adult rooster. Somehow I think the name "rooster" has something to do with that capacity. Ideally the rooster does not have hens roosting up with him. He produce a call at roosting time that induces all other members of his family unit, even juveniles, to roost up with him.


See link for a partial picture on how it works.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/882368/what-to-look-for-in-a-broody-rooster

 

[cavemanrich]

Ok. Lets tackle things one at a time... All the chicken rules are just guideline. Some will work for you and some not so well. Your chickens will eventually go onto the roost but young ones are hesitant at first. They are used to being huddled together as chicks.. Just start to place them onto roost at night time and they will get the idea quickly.. Place your nesting boxes wherever convenient for you. If the placement is REALLY wrong, the chickens will not want to use it. Then adjust to new location as needed.. Roosts are placed higher than nesting to keep chickens from choosing the nests as sleeping quarters. This keeps nests cleaner from droppings since they only go there to lay eggs.
WISHING YOU BEST AND

 

[yellowchicks]

I "upgraded" the roosting bar as our chickens were getting older. The bar was always an user-friend size and height to them. Our chickens never had any issue roosting at night.

Here they are two weeks old in a dog crate, roosting on a stick at night (an intro to baby roosting)"


Two month old in the coop on an 1" roosting bar (an interim size):


Six months old in the coop on a 4" tree trunk (the final size):

 

[rides2far]

Mine are 16 weeks old & I only have 2 or 3 roosting on my beautiful roosts! The others huddle in front of the door! I went out at dusk when they were sleepy & put a few of them on the roosts. I did that for several nights. A few of them have figured it out, so I'm hoping the rest will join them soon. You might give that a try. Good luck & you are not alone!

 

[Zoopilla]

I used this portable roost that I made for our chicks last year. It's in the cage on the right end. They start to use it at about two weeks. I wait for them to tell me when they want a higher roost. I would bring this roost outside our front door. The girls would sit on it when they were tired, to wait for treats or to come inside for the evening. I also use it when I have a sick or hurt chicken in the dog kennel. A little scrubbing and bleach and it's good to go.

I guess I'll have to make longer one for these guys.