Eight week pullets not sleeping on their roost?

[Txboi83]

Ok well I have four ameraucana eight week pullets that won't sleep on their perch in their hen house does anyone else have this problem? Anyone know a way to get them to sleep on their roost?

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

It is not unusual for them to not desire to roost at that age. By 3-4 months they should be getting up there by themselves.

 

[ChickenMack]

I have 8 week old RIR/Orpingtons and they won't get up on the roost either. But as I did with their parents, I go out every night to shut the chicken house up, grab the chicks and put them on the roost. They settle right down and stay there for the night. As they get older they should get up to the roost by themselves as my other chickens did. Good luck.

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
Yup!!!

 

[bobbieschicks]

Our 8 week old White Leghorns weren't roosting on their roost at night either - they'd pile up by the door in the corner. Then we went on vacation that week and when we returned I noticed there was much more poop on the manure box under the roost and hardly any by the door. I figured they had hung out there during the day and the chicken sitter didn't scoop. Turns out they moved themselves up on the roost at night sometime in that week. They've been on the roost since they were around 8 weeks old. Our babies moved into the big coop at the age of six weeks and within a few days they were up on the roost and off the floor. I think if you give your chicks time - they'll find the roost when they feel it's the right time. The WLs use the ladder I provided, but the babies usually just fly up to the roost.

Here's a picture of the WLs on their roost/manure board area at 6 weeks old - they wouldn't stay up there at night - just hung out during the day sometimes.

Here's one of the babies hanging out on the edge of the manure board/roost

 

[Txboi83]

So should I show them their roost or should I gist let them take their time and find it themselves like chickensaresweet says?

 

[The Burg Peeps]

I am no expert but I had asked this exact question when our birds weren't roosting. Most people said they will roost when they are ready. It was not long before they were getting up on the roosts. Although, I still find them just huddled in the corner of their coop some days. We did take the birds and put them on the roost a few times to be sure they knew it was there. When they were very young... a few weeks, I took some food and placed it on the roost and they hopped right up on it for the food and started hanging out on it more often. Your chickens will find their way and do what they like... you can't force things on them but you can lead them and encourage them.
Good luck.

 

[wyododge]

It is instinctual for chickens to sleep in high places. It is also instinctual for chicks to huddle, if there is no hen, they find a safe corner.

They will roost when they are ready. I don't build ladders as I want them to be able to fly up and jump down. builds good muscles. My roosts started at about 2.5', now they are 5 - 6'. They got up when they were able, and strong enough to jump down and land. We did not really encourage them to get up at all. I think if you pick them up and put them on it, they may be more likely to strain something on the landing. When raising the roosts a few of them slept on the floor for a few days before they would jump up. I imagine they tried to jump and failed, and so they slept on the floor. But eventually, they all got up.

They will get up there when they are ready. Some will stay on the floor too. every now and then we have a hen sleep on the ground. It's just how they roll. They really do know what is best.

We try to follow the mantra of letting nature take it's course. Our chickens have been raised pretty tough, but they are very healthy, and vibrant. We don't sterilize everything, they were in the dirt at 5 days old, no medicated feed, no heat lamps, outside very quickly (3 days). I believe that if you raise tough chickens, they will be much healthier and vibrant than if they are pampered. They were in a dirty environment when they were young, and have all the resistance built up naturally. If we had lost a chick, it would have better as they were weak. But, its not like we go around beating them over the head with a 2x4 either, we just require them to survive, and God has given them all the tools they need to do so very well.

Just our opinion though...