I noticed our 4 week old Leghorns were sleeping in a pile on the corner of the coop so I put them up on the roost for the first couple of nights they were in their new coop. It was a hassle, but I figured I needed to teach them to roost. I finally gave up trying and left them alone to their piling as they seemed content sleeping that way. They did it every night without fail. I'd say goodnight to them and they'd all pile on top of each other in the corner to sleep. They were 8 weeks old when we went on vacation last week and they were still piling when I tucked them away for the last time before heading out. When we returned on Saturday - their 9 week birthday - I noticed alot of poop in the manure board under the roosts and hardly any by the pile area where they usually slept. I scooped it up - figuring it had just accumulated over the week we were gone since my chicken sitter friend fed & watched the chicks but didn't scoop. Yesterday I noticed again a pile of poop in the manure box, but this time there wasn't any at the door. So tonight I snuck back out to see where they were at bed time and sure enough they were all perched up on the roost over the board!
My little Leghorns managed to figure out the roost and manure board all by themselves - when they were ready for it. So don't waste your energy moving them while they sleep - they'll make it to the roost when they are ready.
Here they are in the middle of the day on the roost this was during the time when I tried to teach them to use the roost at night. I've switched to sand since this picture and they are MUCH larger now.
My little Leghorns managed to figure out the roost and manure board all by themselves - when they were ready for it. So don't waste your energy moving them while they sleep - they'll make it to the roost when they are ready.
Here they are in the middle of the day on the roost this was during the time when I tried to teach them to use the roost at night. I've switched to sand since this picture and they are MUCH larger now.
