Do chickens HAVE to roost for health reasons? Mine are pile sleepers!

[jtakacs]

Like az said I had to pick up the birds at night and put them up there... now they all scrunch together up there..

 

[1muttsfan]

To make it super easy on everyone, I usually place them on the perch just as it's gotten too dark for them to see. And if you place them very close together so they're touching, they are far less likely to want to leave the security of their mates and jump off. You may need to do this for a second night, but they should catch on by the third night and hop up on their own.

And turn off the light. They don't need the heat at this age.

X2, especially about the light (except that I just let them find the perches on their own, they always do eventually)

As well, I agree with several of the above posts - check that your perches are not too high (you can install a lower one that they can use as a step up). Also check the roosts for parasites, fowl mites can cause birds a lot of discomfort.

A 2x4 layed flat actually is an even better perch, it gives a nice level surface to rest on and allows them to pull their feet up into their feathers at night.

 

[LTygress]

Another reason they don't need the light, is BECAUSE they are piling up. Baby chicks do that to help stay warm. The body heat they get from each other helps each of them stay warm. Obviously, the one on bottom is going to stay the warmest, too! In terms of temperature control, they would technically be colder ON the roost, than piled up on the floor.

That's also why many hen-raised chicks learn to roost, but still put their heads under their mom's chest at night. They are just used to being warm that way.

But really, you either have to give them time, or teach them by putting them up there. I never taught my first chickens how to roost, they all started it themselves at about 5 months old. But every single new chicken since then, learned from them. So if you already have chickens roosting, the young ones will eventually learn it too.

Although my silkies stayed in the nest box until they were about 8 months old! Mommy had already moved on and hatched three other broods by the time they FINALLY moved out! But they eventually did it on their own. I never taught them how. Although I think mommy hen might have had something to do with having two full-grown silkies trying to squeeze into the nest box with her and 12 baby chicks...

 

[centrarchid]

I have most of my birds roosting up by five weeks. Even dominiques can fly vertically four feet by then. Flat roost does not provide protection for feet against cold(old wives tail). My birds roosting under stars have no problem roosting up while those roosting under low light conditions of coops (also mine) have delay age of first roosting up.

 

[angcurdy]

hope this isn't rude.. but it is a roosting question..

we have a roost we built and it is in the outside coop.. but the "bedroom" does not have a roost.. of course there are wooden rails and the free range rooster roosts there.. but the hens do not. should we build a roost for the "bedroom" or just let them do their thing? I am just worried that the goofballs will be out in the cold roosting when they could be warmer in the "bedroom"

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I have most of my birds roosting up by five weeks. Even dominiques can fly vertically four feet by then. Flat roost does not provide protection for feet against cold(old wives tail). My birds roosting under stars have no problem roosting up while those roosting under low light conditions of coops (also mine) have delay age of first roosting up.

Had my first batch of chicks this past spring and we made a "mini-roost" for the brooder. The first one was only a piece of wood an inch tall but they would all went right to it, mostly during their play time. They'd still sleep all akimbo and in a pile. We'd make the roosts taller as they got older and - by 3 weeks - some were beginning to sleep on their brooder roost. By the time they went to the grow-out pen, they were all sleeping on the roost, guess they were about 4 or 5 weeks old then.

These chicks finally graduated to living with the big girls in the big coop and we never had one minute of problem with them roosting. Not a one of these girls has ever attempted to sleep on the floor or in a nesting box. Their only problem was getting past the older hens to get to the spot they wanted on the roost!

 

[mithious]

I also used a very small roost in their brooder box and in the coop a bit bigger, but very low. Once they got bigger, we added the higher roosts with a poop board and 3 roosts for them to choose from...they all try to get spots on the very top roost and it's kinds funny to see some facing front and some backwards, as they all BARELY fit on that top roost now, soon they will be forced onto the next roost down due to their size.

I have found, that raising them from chicks, with no chicken mom to teach them things, I have had to be the "mom" and teach them much more than I thought. Mine are hatchery chickens, and I do believe that quite a few of the natural instincts are being bred out of them.

 

[Sjisty]

In my flock, I have about 5 or 6 hens that will not roost no matter what I do. These are big girls, around 9 to 12 pounds, and they just don't want to jump up there. I even have a roost that is 4 inches off the ground, but they will not use it. The oldest of these girls is around 8 years old, so isn't going to change her ways. The only problem they have ever had is occasionally getting "bombed" by someone up high. I also have an 8-year-old rooster who I think had a stroke last spring, so he isn't roosting any more, either. He and another hen who was attacked by a dog last summer share a coop/run by themselves so none of the stronger chickens will pick on them, although they do get to come out and mingle with supervision.

I have had no health problems with any of the floor sleepers.

 

[1muttsfan]

I respectfully disagree with centarchid and stand by recommending the 2x4 roost.

 

[lot to learn]

I have 4 Orpingtons, 5 wyandottes, 2 light brahamas & 2 guinneas. At night, all are roosting & sleeping except the brahamas (also the youngest. They are 3 months old, the rest are 6 months to 1 year old). I never see the brahamas sleep at all. They are always walking around , making little noises, pecking at food, drinking water. There is no light except the stars from the windows & my flashlight. Is this normal for brahamas?