Do your chicks sleep on a roosting branch or floor?

[nmab05]

We have four chicks- Four weeks old and they all sleep on the floor. I added a roosting branch about a week ago and they LOVE hanging out on it throughout the day but they don't sleep on it. Should I be concerned and do something about it or just let them be? I'm hoping they'll be good egg layers in a few months and want to be sure they don't start out with "bad habits".

Thanks for the replies all!

 

[Apyl]

Mine are 9 weeks old and they do both. Not all chickens roost on something to sleep. Yours are fine, no need to worry.

 

[Kevin565]

Mine are 9 weeks old and they do both. Not all chickens roost on something to sleep. Yours are fine, no need to worry.

X2

 

[gracejr]

Mine are only 3 weeks old, but I find they all seem to take turns between sleeping on the roost or on the floor.

 

[bucky52]

my chicks are 7 weeks old and started roosting on their roost board two days ago.i have been going to the coop to make sure they were all in and to close the door at night.sunday they were sleeping on the floor and the next evening they were all on the roost board.the first night they went to roost.for about five minutes, they were all peeping and piling.( i have 10).i thought what in the world is wrong.it was warm so they should not have been cold.i look under and all in the corners thinking is there something here i'am not seeing.and than one started up the board to the roost and they all followed..it was so fun to watch them find that one place they wanted to roost for the night.when the time is right ,they will roost.

 

[Nsampsel]

Mine don't have a roost until they go to the coop (no room for it & they escape the brooder) but I have some that found the roost & climbed on within days & others who still prefer to snuggle together on the floor or in nest boxes. It's wherever they are comfortable at. Seems outdoor temp & chick age have a bit to do with it but not entirely. My older chicks have gradually taken over the roost bars (you can usually find each in "their spot" each night), some of the younger chicks still like 2 snuggle together on the floor or in a box & my 3 oldest birds (who came from a farm in the country with random coops & roosts around the farm) like to stuff all 3 of them in 1 nest box. My boxes are plenty big for them as they are all 3 bantums & they sleep in a box meant for my LF. Outside temp seems to have an affect too. When it's cooler I find more birds nesting together on the floor or in boxes than on the roost.

 

[Chickaroos]

Mine all like to roost. I have 12 , 10 week olds. In their coop they get locked into at night, they all try to squeeze on the roost but cant all fit. 2 eaither end up sleeping on the floor of the coop, or i've even seen them roosting on top of eachother..lol desprate much

 

[CarolJ]

Although mine had a roost available, they all slept on the floor until they reached around 6-7 weeks of age. Then suddenly one night, there they all were up on the roost. Once they started sleeping on the roost, that's where they continued to sleep from then on.

 

[chickenpooplady]

As soon as it starts to get dark, mine go inside and jump on the roosts. They are 21 weeks old now. They where not yet roosting at four weeks old. Yours are still young, they will get the hang of it.

 

[PlatypusPerry]

Mine are all pushing 5weeks old and like to hang out on the roost at times but don't always sleep on it. They'll sleep on it during the day occasionally - like a nap but not at night yet that I've seen. I thought for sure they would be on the roost but, nope.