Desperate for help - roost pole craziness

[mondotomhead]

I have no photos either but I made the roosts so everyone could easily go as high as they wanted with plenty of room. With my chickens its not who is higher but who they are NEXT to. And I've found my chickens to be very, very "clicky", like teenage girls! They are all bantams............

One group of 9 are the older chickens- approx 1 year
One group of 3 bantams my vet gave me! - approx 4 months
One group of 10 chickens I hatched from the 9 older chickens - 3 months
One group of 4 chicks from my broody hen - 2 months
(chicken math struck)

These 4 groups only want to roost with their OWN group and the shuffling is between each of the groups even though everyone is together during the day with no problems. If one of the groups get near any of the other groups this causes problems also. They will peck intruders off the roost.

...........and I thought cats were territorial

 

[RaeRae2]

You know, saying it is because of the "parents" turned on a lightbulb. This is the first batch of chickens I ever raised from a hatchery. I have always had a broody hen hatch out chicks, or I bought chicks from someone whose hen hatched them out. So the mother hen was always teaching them how and where to roost..........these birds I have now are just dumb teenagers that had no "raising!" I wonder if they can't learn to roost peacefully because no one ever taught them?

There doesn't seem to be a clear indiciation of who wants to sit by who as far as I can tell, other than NOBODY wants to sit next to the two old hens I've had forever. Wherever those hens sit, everybody stays at least 2 feet away from them. I tried separating the old hens and leaving them in the main barn to see if everybody chilled out and that made zero difference. The big hens have been separated from them for maybe a week and nothing has improved.

My husband emailed me just now and said he is building them a new roost - bleacher style so the spacing between the poles will be uniform. He will also be making a special section for the Cornish hen that I can put her in and close her door. It will be all mesh for ventilation and vision, but that way nobody can knock her down.

 

[Time-Out]

Go hubby! Mine is rubbish at coming up with inventive ideas of making me happy lol. Ah well. I shouldn't complain, at least I get a box of After Eights twice a year!

I was only joking with the parents thing. Mine are all hand-raised from the incubator. I suppose we did put them all on the perch everynight for at least a week every time they moved quarters. Haha maybe they took that as a "now be quiet and go to sleep!"
We only did that because we'd find them in piles and I feel happier with them at height, in case rats are roaming. They must have got the message as even the silkie finds his way to the top, although I have no idea how!

 

[bucky52]

I have 9 three months old and having the same problem.i'am so afraid that one is going to be crushed to death.what is up with this.

 

[bucky52]

I have 9 three months old and having the same problem.i'am so afraid that one is going to be crushed to death.what is up with this.

 

[mondotomhead]

I have 9 three months old and having the same problem.i'am so afraid that one is going to be crushed to death.what is up with this.

Do you mean you have a problem with them piling up together? If so, at 9 months they are a little old for that behavior unless they can't fly up to the roosts. You could place each one on the roost at night. Are you roosts to high for them to reach? You could put a milk crate or some other thing under the roost so they could "fly up" in steps.

I guess I'm a little confused

 

[RaeRae2]

Ok, he just emailed me this picture. This is what he put together to see if they like this better!

This is the old feed room for my horse barn. I took everything (well, almost, still working on it!) out and they moved into here. It has windows and solid walls and doors, so should be MUCH more secure than what we initially planned to build. Not to mention it's free instead of $2,000 to build or buy a coop and attach it to the existing run. This has electricity and running water already.

There is a vent in the wall down by the floor with a thick steel door on it. I can just slide open the steel door and they can come and go from their run! It works perfect!! I just had to move all my feed and supplies somewhere else in the barn, but that is working great anyway.

Now if I can only get these little poops to roost peacefully without maiming each other, I'd be all set!

 

[RaeRae2]

Oh yeah, tonight we are going to take that shelving unit down off the wall. That will eliminate any temptation to get on the shelves instead of the roost.

 

[mondotomhead]

Ok, he just emailed me this picture. This is what he put together to see if they like this better!

This is the old feed room for my horse barn. I took everything (well, almost, still working on it!) out and they moved into here. It has windows and solid walls and doors, so should be MUCH more secure than what we initially planned to build. Not to mention it's free instead of $2,000 to build or buy a coop and attach it to the existing run. This has electricity and running water already.

There is a vent in the wall down by the floor with a thick steel door on it. I can just slide open the steel door and they can come and go from their run! It works perfect!! I just had to move all my feed and supplies somewhere else in the barn, but that is working great anyway.

Now if I can only get these little poops to roost peacefully without maiming each other, I'd be all set!

That is a really nice roost. Easy for them to "step up" and get higher. I'll tell you from my limited experience they are going to want to be on that top rung and there isn't enough room for their butts! Or their beaks if they are turned the other way! Could your husband make this an "A" frame? Or attach two boards from the wall to the roost to get that top rung away from the wall?

 

[bucky52]

sorry for the multi quotes.I have nine chicks and they are three months old.