Do Silkies roost?

[NCchicken]

Do silkies roost? I am new to silkies. I have four hens, two of them, barred rock and an EE, both roost at night, but my two silkies prefer to go in the coop and sleep on the poop board. Is this normal silkie behavior? Perhaps my roost is too high? Should I add a new lower roost? I'm afraid they will just get pooped on from their coopmates up above.

Thanks!

 

[gritsar]

I have two silkies, almost 14 weeks old. One prefers to roost with his flockmates, several feet off the ground. The other one can't be forced to roost. If I put her up, she jumps back down immediately.
I intend to add a lower roost for mine, so they aren't hurt jumping down.

 

[ADozenGirlz]

My Silkie roosts.

 

[sonew123]

mine too We built them a roost about 1 ft off the ground some even have problems getting on that!

 

[crtrlovr]

some of my Silkie mixes do, but the three full-blood silkies prefer to sleep in a pile.

In the evenings, when I'm closing the door and making sure everybody's settled in and ready for bed, one corner of the chicken house just looks like a giant cotton ball...

 

[NCchicken]

Wow, thanks for the quick responses everyone! Looks like I'll be building a lower roost for them in the coop that isn't directly under the taller roost. Hmm, this could get tricky. Looks like I have a project tonight when I get home.

 

[SilverPhoenix]

I only have one silkie, but she does not roost on traditional perches. If she does roost, it's on a perch that's very close to the ground and doesn't involve jumping on to it. (I have a large piece of manzanita in my coop and sometimes she'll go sit on top of that.)

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
We made two roosts that we use in the brooder. They are 24" lengths of PVC pipe. On each end is an elbow, then another short piece of pipe (down), connected to a T at the bottom with two more short pieces of PVC sticking out on each side for the "feet". I've noticed my non-roosting silkie likes to sit on them during the day.

 

[NCchicken]

We made two roosts that we use in the brooder. They are 24" lengths of PVC pipe. On each end is an elbow, then another short piece of pipe (down), connected to a T at the bottom with two more short pieces of PVC sticking out on each side for the "feet". I've noticed my non-roosting silkie likes to sit on them during the day.

That is a fantastic idea! Thanks for the tips!!

 

[possumqueen]

Whoa! NCchicken, where you at????