Grownup chickens wont roost

[Msdvm113]

I know there are a lot of related threads but I'm hoping for some advice. I have 6 chickens who are about 14 weeks old and 2 just started laying in the last week. However, they all lay on the floor of the coop instead of roosting on the bars basically on top of each other. My concern is some lay in the nests. I am going to block the nests at night at least but should they start roosting soon? Am I being impatient? I had another group of 8 chickens previously who all figured out how to roost with the same setup and no help from me.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I know there are a lot of related threads but I'm hoping for some advice. I have 6 chickens who are about 14 weeks old and 2 just started laying in the last week. However, they all lay on the floor of the coop instead of roosting on the bars basically on top of each other. My concern is some lay in the nests. I am going to block the nests at night at least but should they start roosting soon? Am I being impatient? I had another group of 8 chickens previously who all figured out how to roost with the same setup and no help from me.

Sorry, I’m having a long day and got a little confused:

When you wrote “lay”, did you mean “sleep”? Or did you mean “lay eggs”? Because of course laying (eggs) in the nests is exactly what you want.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Are any of these Silkies or other breeds unlikely to roost?

I don't consider it impatient to encourage them to roost - at 14 weeks I would want them roosting reliably so nest boxes can be left uncovered (and yes cover them for now, at least at nights). So plan on manually placing them on roosts at night, every night, until they get the hint. When they go up on their own and stay up there you can uncover nests again.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Do you still have the other chickens to show them how to roost? Are the big girls not letting the little ones roost?

 

[Msdvm113]

They are all sleeping in the nests and now 2 are laying eggs as well. They are honestly a bit silly.

 

[Msdvm113]

Do you still have the other chickens to show them how to roost? Are the big girls not letting the little ones roost?

I wish! No it is only the 6 new ones now so no one to learn from but plus side is they also aren't bottom of the pecking order

 

[Msdvm113]

Are any of these Silkies or other breeds unlikely to roost?

I don't consider it impatient to encourage them to roost - at 14 weeks I would want them roosting reliably so nest boxes can be left uncovered (and yes cover them for now, at least at nights). So plan on manually placing them on roosts at night, every night, until they get the hint. When they go up on their own and stay up there you can uncover nests again.

Thanks! Yes I guess I will just have to keep the nests blocked at night and keep placing them on the roost until they get the hint! Maybe the ones who are laying will want to start anyway

 

[Msdvm113]

Thanks! Yes I guess I will just have to keep the nests blocked at night and keep placing them on the roost until they get the hint! Maybe the ones who are laying will want to start anyway

Oh and no Silkies! Marans, green queen, legbar etc.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Are your roosts above your nesting boxes? Maybe pictures of the inside of your coop would help. I have never personally had to teach chickens to roost but that might be because I give them little roosts in their brooder. Idk

 

[Msdvm113]

Are your roosts above your nesting boxes? Maybe pictures of the inside of your coop would help. I have never personally had to teach chickens to roost but that might be because I give them little roosts in their brooder. Idk

Thanks they are well above the nests for sure. And they perch on them sometimes during the day so I think I might just have to block the nests at night to make them use the roosts.