Do your chickens have preferred spots on their roosts?

[Daisy8s]

When I first put my new pullets in their new coop over a year ago they each seemed to choose their favorite spot on the roost. Most nights each bird was in her spot--it was rare that they got shuffled around.

Now, however, they're in a different spot every night. Sometimes they'll all jam themselves on the top roost and other times one or two will be on the lower roost. Sometimes sworn enemies will end up roosting right next to each other.

And, whereas they used to all face in the same direction now there's usually at least one facing in the opposite direction. I wonder if the more picked on hens intentionally face the opposite direction so they can't be pecked on the head during the coming-to-roost process when there's quite a bit of squabbling?

I'm curious. Do your chickens always roost in the same spot or do they mix it up? And, do all your chickens face the same direction or are some facing in the opposite direction? I'm particularly curious about roosters--do they take the top roost as the choice location for those at the top of the pecking order or do they roost lower down to be a first line of defense if anything entered the coop?

 

[loanwizard]

Mine nest all over with not much rhyme or reason other than the more dominant one get a higher position, although sometimes my Silkie get up top.

 

[Den in Penn]

The Bar likes to roost front and center, as in my avatar. The hens seem to change spots. They don't usually faced the back wall.

 

[rapturecidal]

in their old cage it only had one layer so they didn't really have many choices other than direction, because i only had 1 perch in it. and Pedro only had 1 girl before i gave her away trying to get her to be someones dinner because she wouldn't lay eggs.

so when i got this coop built for them with several layers for them to sleep on and several nests and everything, it turned out it didn't matter.

they all sleep together and facing the same dirrection too. on the top perch. the only time they don't is when there on the eggs. and 3 of my hens take turns doing that.

 

[rapturecidal]

in their old cage it only had one layer so they didn't really have many choices other than direction, because i only had 1 perch in it. and Pedro only had 1 girl before i gave her away trying to get her to be someones dinner because she wouldn't lay eggs.

so when i got this coop built for them with several layers for them to sleep on and several nests and everything, it turned out it didn't matter.

they all sleep together and facing the same direction too. on the top perch. the only time they don't is when there on the eggs. and 3 of my hens take turns doing that.

wow that is old that was back in my old house, back when i only had one kind of chicken, and back when they still lived in a cage.