has anyones chickens not roosted until close to laying?

[junior67]

my chickens refuse to roost on the roosting bars. Instead they like to do a cuddle puddle in a corner of the coop. I tried before to put them on the roost at night and they just freaked. We have tried a couple times in the past couple weeks and they would stay if we put them there. But on Aug 17th my EE started to roost on her own (before we put them on it and they stayed) well on Aug 29th she laid her first egg. I knew she was getting close as her comb was red and bigger and she was submitting to my roo. Well about a week or so ago my Salmon Faverolle started to roost on her own as well. She also submits to my roo if he tries with her. So wondering if she will start laying soon too. Her comb is quite red as and big as well. then I have 1 cochin that a few days ago started roosting as well. I was questioning if she was getting close since her comb and wattles are really big and red (not as big as my roo but her sisters still have like nothing for a comb and no wattles). I was even starting to worry she was a roo they were so big even though she has no other roo traits but I saw they normally don't lay till 8-9 mo so didn't understand why hers were so big and red. Did ask and heard someone else that had one that laid really early too...... But now I am wondering if they are just going to wait and start to roost until they are close to laying. Will be interesting to see when the other 2 roosting start to lay and if it has anything to do with each other..........

Was just curious if anyone had odd chickens that didn't roost until they were near laying. LOL

 

[junior67]

Just want to keep this threat updated in case anyone else has weird chickens like me and are trying to search for it. hahaaa

My Salmon Faverolle started roosting right about 2 weeks ago and just laid her first egg today...

So my EE started roosting and 12 days later laid her first egg, Then my Salmon Faverolle started roosting and laid her first egg around 2 weeks later (not sure what day I first saw her roost I took a pic of the EE when she started since she was first so had that date)......... My buff cochin (that is just over 22 weeks so early for her but her comb and wattles are big and red) started roosting just about a week ago, think maybe 9 days ago?..... so now to see when she starts to lay

 

[Silviaschicks]

The roosts might be too high for them to comfortably get on

 

[junior67]

Hmm that is strange… @aart

yes they are very strange. I could go out every night and put them on the roost and from what I have read they should start going on their own but can take a week or two. I figured they would roost when they were ready so unless I had to be out there after dusk I just let them be. Just found it odd that now that a few are close to laying they are starting to roost on their own but the ones not close still aren't.

 

[junior67]

Did you give them roosts to practice on as chicks in the brooder?

I gave mine a small one around 2 weeks old in the brooder that they used during the day when awake and slept under the MHP. at 4-4.5 weeks once off the MHP and I took it out I added a 2nd roosting bar and they used that when awake but to sleep they slept in a cuddle puddle in a corner of the brooder...... LOL I tried to get them used to it so they would transition to the roost in the coop easy. They LOVE the roost in the morning before the auto door opens. Just refuse to sleep on it. going to get a light that I can turn on when they start going in and have it turn off 15 min later and have it just on the roosting bar to see if that helps with out messing them up with it going off.

 

[Sally PB]

Did you give them roosts to practice on as chicks in the brooder

Yes. My experience was just about exactly the same as @junior67. My young-uns are a few weeks behind hers, so maybe when they get to POL, they'll start going to the roost at night.

They go in the coop at dusk, they see the adults roost, but they like their huddle cuddle puddle in the corner.

 

[AZN]

Mine are 7 weeks and don't roost either. They will when they are ready I figure... I just don't want them to be pulled through the wire before then!

And yes, they loved their small roost in the broader, so they had practice.

 

[junior67]

Mine are 7 weeks and don't roost either. They will when they are ready I figure... I just don't want them to be pulled through the wire before then!

And yes, they loved their small roost in the broader, so they had practice.

Mine didn't end up roosting till maybe a month ago so around 26 weeks. And only 2 are laying still so my theory was wrong. Lol

 

[HSNEK]

Reading this thread, I have 3 pullets almost 14 weeks old, and I've raised them since day old chicks. I have a Green Queen, a Golden Buff, and an Easter Egger, and they all sleep in a 'cuddle-puddle' as well. I have no nest box in the coop yet, and I do have a roosting bar, but they won't use it at night. It is middle of January in a cold New England winter, so I'm not sure if that will delay when my hens lay their first eggs and would that delay when they use their roosting bar?

Is it normal to not roost at night at 14 weeks old? The pullets are not cold at night, and I even add a supplemental heating plate when below 10 degrees overnight (although I don't think they really need the heat either). All 3 birds are thriving but I am wondering when will these hens actually use a roosting bar at night.

 

[junior67]

Reading this thread, I have 3 pullets almost 14 weeks old, and I've raised them since day old chicks. I have a Green Queen, a Golden Buff, and an Easter Egger, and they all sleep in a 'cuddle-puddle' as well. I have no nest box in the coop yet, and I do have a roosting bar, but they won't use it at night. It is middle of January in a cold New England winter, so I'm not sure if that will delay when my hens lay their first eggs and would that delay when they use their roosting bar?

Is it normal to not roost at night at 14 weeks old? The pullets are not cold at night, and I even add a supplemental heating plate when below 10 degrees overnight (although I don't think they really need the heat either). All 3 birds are thriving but I am wondering when will these hens actually use a roosting bar at night.

Mine were so old when they used their roosting bar!!! as I said above they were around 26 weeks. They are now 9 mo and always roost with no issues. so my advice is let them cuddle puddle as long as they want they will figure it out. Oh and I still only have 3 laying so the roosting and laying didn't have anything to do with each other.

Oh where in NE are you? I am in MA. My EE was my first to lay. I think she was around 22 weeks? so yours may lay around the right time since they are still young and days will start getting longer so another 6-8 weeks will be sometime in March so betting they will start laying around then. I think the shorter days has delayed a few of mine from laying since they are now just over 9 mo and I am still waiting for 4 to start laying..... LOL