Falling off roost while sleeping

[silkiechicken]

Quote:
Well, actually, unlike other birds, chickens don't grasp onto their roost.

If you let a chicken roost on your arm, once they get relaxed, you can feel their feet "disappear" and their keel start to rest on your arm. It is why many recommend flat roosts... as they don't roost like regular type birds unless not given the choice.

Try it some time. If you have a bird comfortable with you, let it roost on your arm and let it relax. My guess is someone shoved her off.

 

[Kung Foo Chicken]

My chickens knock each other off their roost. They'll try to climb over each other and either fall or push the other chicken off.

 

[AHappychick]

yep they push each other for sure I was showing my friends my chooks and woke some of them up and one pushed the other right off the roost. I nearly died laughing the hen seemed asleep the whole way down (only 4 feet lol) and then looked very confused afterwards.

 

[JHaller]

Since you mentioned it, another bird WAS in her favorite by-the-wall spot when I opened the door. My first fear was that a raccoon or other predator was on site, but I didn't think the girls would be shoving each other at midnight in a dark coop on a cold night.

Another weird thing...this young bird laid two eggs last month, but nothing in January til today. Maybe puberty caused her to feel weaker?

Could the roost itself cause the problem? The roost is a 2" x 4" mounted wide side up. The top edges were rounded with a plane and a sander. If the chicken can loose her grip, is this more likely on a wide or slippery roost? Now I'm thinking I should round the underside and maybe rough up the surface. I could also replace it with a 2" x 3".

Tomorrow I will try the arm-roost test, this is getting really interesting! I have some cuddle-muffins that think I'm their rooster, so I'll see how various breeds manage the experience. And I'll post results!

 

[dlhunicorn]

Quote:
Well, actually, unlike other birds, chickens don't grasp onto their roost.

If you let a chicken roost on your arm, once they get relaxed, you can feel their feet "disappear" and their keel start to rest on your arm. It is why many recommend flat roosts... as they don't roost like regular type birds unless not given the choice.

Try it some time. If you have a bird comfortable with you, let it roost on your arm and let it relax. My guess is someone shoved her off.

ditto silkie...
chickens do NOT have the "lock mechanism" that birds of prey do... their feet are also built differently and if forced to curl around a round stick or pole this will often cause bumblefoot.

 

[JulieAnn88]

Hi there,

I appreciate all the wonderful advice, and insight. I am still feeling very new to raising chickens, I am starting my 2nd year.

I swear a chicken tipped forward and fell off her roost at night, we have a camera in there, and I saw it.

I was told 2x2 is perfect for roosts, and that is what we have, I then heard, we should use 2x4 then they can curl tows around the edge, but not fall, and have more room.

I just don't know what site to believe. Please Help!

Thanks in advance for time and consideration!

Julie

 

[UtePassChickens]

Chickens CAN'T fall off a roost. They can fall off a flat board or a flat tilted board but if you have a roost (pole, stick, limb) that they can wrap their feet around, it is not possible for them to fall. Chickens don't balance on a limb or roost. When they stand on a limb, the tendons in their legs automaticly tighten on the limb. Just the way they are built. All fowl (that I know of) have this factor. They have to CONSIOUSLY unwrap their foot (or feet) before they fly off a roost. A tree limb or a closet pole is the best roost for chickens. In the cold, freezing months, they need a flat board roost so they can sit on their toes to keep them from freezing.

okay reaching out to ya! this evening I found my lavender orpington sleeping under the coop and it is gonna get very cold tonight. so i picked her up and got a little annoyed squak out of her. I put her in the coop door. I then went into the coop using "my" door to collect eggs and there she was sleeping in front of the entrance. I again picked her up, this time without a peep and placed her next to the others on the roost....and there she went, as soon as i turned to leave, she fell to the floor, i picked up quickly and she was sound asleep. i again placed her the roost and saw her weight shift, so this time i set her back on the ground and pushed some straw up around her a bit....i guess i'll know if something is wrong with her in the morning, but wanted to reach out for some assurances lol!

 

[rebrascora]

@UtePassChickens

I'm wondering if she might be going broody. It's not out of the ordinary for Orpingtons to be broody. How old is she? Hoping it's that and not an illness anyway.

 

[UtePassChickens]

she is ten months. have seen no signs of anything wrong with her. she had made a little nest under the coop....i need to go back and look for an egg, they had pulled alot of straw out of the coop, so she had a nice little nest where she was sleeping.....kinda hoping she is just a super hard sleeper...will take a closer look in the morning, she is normally the first out and about - and THANK YOU!

 

[UtePassChickens]

yeah not sure what happened to her obvious signs...but she passed away just about 1/2 hr ago. she had moved about a foot from where she slept last night and that was it...