Do chickens have to roost?

[Stuby05]

my Rhode Islands and White Leghorns (just over a year old) all roost at night. but my younger Red Star (~3 months) only about half or so roost and my Buff Silkies so not roost at all they are approx. 3 months also.

 

[SunnysideupstateNY]

Quote:
okay there are lazy then lol

lol what does this mean when they start to lay? I'm almost wondering if I should elevate the nest box so they don't sleep in it! But then again they may be to lazy to even use it.

 

[Costa Rica Art]

My ponedoras sleep huddled it the corner by the door. It may be because they are wet from our afternoon daily rains here in the tropics. We are at 3,800 feet so the nights are cool. I do have one hen who spends the night in the nest box, number seven, she is always by herself even in the yard

. I'm waiting for the dry season to see if they still sleep in the litter. During the hot part of the day, around noon here, they will lay on the 8" litter and scratch them a hole almost to the earth floor, it is nice and cool, it is funny to watch them though the open big door

.

 

[swimmer]

My ten week old girls still all sleep in a pile. I used stress about it, but I figure they are safe and comfy. Sometimes when I go out in the morning, a few are on the roost. They must move in the night.

 

[sheaviance1]

Quote:
I must correct my poor memory....
What I read (I found it) is that in extreme climates, shorten the roost so that they will be made to huddle together to prevent freezing. Sorry about that.

 

[SparksNV]

I have 6 pullets - close to laying but not quite there yet - My coop is 5 ft in front with slope to 4 ft in back. My roosting bars are 2x4 laying flat so they sit on the 4" side. 2 bars both 4 ft long and about 2 ft apart. The bars are just under 4 ft off the bottom (maybe 3-1/2 ft) Usually 4 are on one bar and 2 on the other. The nest box is on the other side of the coop about 18" from the bottom. We got the gals about 4 weeks ago & they figured it out the first night.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

Quote:
okay there are lazy then lol

lol what does this mean when they start to lay? I'm almost wondering if I should elevate the nest box so they don't sleep in it! But then again they may be to lazy to even use it.

when the pullets start to drop eggs that is when there start to lay only get about 2 eggs a day and i have 11 diffent hens laying about in aweek i get ght 4 dark brown[ not chocolate] 2 whites, 2 greenish color, 2 light tan 1 orlong white egg, 1 tanish jello eggs
all the breed except for my campine should be giving me an egg day.
but that what i mean about starting to lay[ i cannot count my full basket until all my eggs are there that day

your roost need to be higher then your nest boxes about 18 inch from floor[if u have a walk in coop] if or else they will roost in the nest boxes.


my folk was roost at 16 weeks

 

[Cheep]

Well I had sort of a different problem come up. All 6 of mine roosted as soon as I got them as adolescents. As they grew, there wasn't enough room for all of them on the roosts at night, & 1 or 2 would be given the heave ho. I had to get a dog kennel as sleeping quarters. As soon as I added another roost, they are all sleeping in the coop again - go figure

 

[funkyfrugalmom]

My girls are over 20 weeks old and don't roost at all. They have one but don't use it and they seem fine. I read somewhere that chickens roost to avoid predators. Mine are locked up tightly and safe so I guess they don't feel the need.