floor chickens

[Wally]

Hello Everyone,
A while back I posted about my chickens not getting on thier roosts at night to sleep, but rather, huddling on the floor all together. A couple of people said their's were doing the same thing. Well, mine still are and I was wondering if yours are too. Did you maybe do anything to get them to start going to thier roosts. Maybe I'm just destined to have floor chickens.
Thanks,
Wally

 

[lurky]

Well, Mine are about 15 weeks old and they seem to all be huddled together at night, but in the morning when i go out to open up the door and let them out....they seem to be up roosting.

 

[Poison Ivy]

How old are they now? You might have to go in the coop after its dark and place each one on the roost. It might take several days for them to get the idea. I usually wait until 10 or 11 at night and then try to be very quite and place each bird on roost. Last time it took 2 days for the new girls to get the hint. Good Luck

 

[PurpleChicken]

How old are they? What breeds?

Most of mine have been roosting since ten weeks. Tonight I was surprised
to see all 14 standards roosting. Usually a few would hang out on the
floor. My silkie bantams huddle on the floor. They don't like to hop up.

 

[Wally]

Thanks for the replys.
They're about 15 weeks. I have 27 total. BLRW, Cuchoo Maran, RR, Americanas, and 3 batams that I don't know what they are.
I think I'll try the putting them on the roost trick. I keep you posted as to how it works out.

 

[greenacre]

Almost all of my 7 week olds are on the floor (even as we speak) at night. I feel silly for asking, but why is it so important to teach them to roost? Is it so their feet don't get cold in the winter?

 

[silkiechicken]

Haha, my red sexlink who is about the age of yours has been roosting for about two weeks... then I let the 3 silkes sleep with her.... now everybody is sleeping huddled on the floor!!

Just keep roosting them yourself and eventually they will get used to it and do it themselves.

 

[Poison Ivy]

Whats so cute this time around my new girls are so outgoing & bold. They have been in the big coop with the big guys since they were 6 weeks. Tonight I looked to see who was roosting next to Zaxby my roo and 2 of my new girls were on each side of him! I just checked and they will be 8 weeks old on monday. I really like this last batch of chicks I bought more then any others I bought over the years.

 

[Yonaton]

@greenacre...

For one, it gets the chickens' feet off the dirty floor and lessens the possibility of getting a sickness or something (or mites, etc). Another thing is it's good for them to know that getting up on a roost can be much safer for them if a predator that can't jump very high gets in the coop with them (a coon could jump 4 feet up but after that it's harder for them, but a skunk or 'possum can't). If the roosts are 5+ feet up, they're even safer.

 

[greenacre]

Thanks Yonaton. I think the babies knew I was wondering why they weren't roosting at night, because this morning I saw all 6 of them sitting side by side. It was the cutest picture (my husband installed 3 Chicken Cams so I can keep track of everybody).