do you have to teach them to roost at night?

[caralouise1974]

My BO has always refused to roost, and she's seven months old now. And I agree with the follow the leader theory - her companion bluebelle hybrid apparently always used to roost before they were paired up when they came to us, but now she copies her and sleeps in the nestbox!

Luckily we only have two hens and two nestboxes so it all works out nice and cozy for them.

Silly girls!

 

[jenikay63]

I have 27 chicks that are 7 weeks old. 10 are roosting every night now for about 2 weeks and on the highest roost. Five are sleeping on the floor and the other 12 all pile into one nesting box. It is very funny to listen to the 12 in the nesting box because they are all trying to get comfortable, yet that is impossible as there isn't room for 12 in there. I can imagine them saying, "get off my head"; "you're stepping on my wing", etc. I am really not happy that they are sleeping in the nesting box because that means they are also pooping in the nesting box. I am seriously considering nailing a board up to block them from geting in the nesting box for now.

They all do use the roost at some point in the day, but at night only 10 are roosting and I know it is the same 10 because I have 9 breeds and know them all.