Help--Sleeping on the roosting bar at night

Messipaw

Songster
6 Years
Apr 3, 2013
495
28
138
Sleeping on the roosting bar at night.--------------------- I have nine hens. Six are almost three yrs old and three are not even a year yet. The three younger ones should be laying in December. They integrated nicely and for the most part there are no major issues with squabbling or pecking order. In the pen and on free-range they all seem to get along. My problem is at bedtime when they go into the coop onto the roosting bar to sleep. They were all roosting together nicely for a few days. The last few nights I have been finding two of the three younger hens sleeping in a nest box or on the roof of the coop. I am assuming they are getting bullied in some way on their way up to the roosting bar. My coop is store bought-claims to be able to house 9-12 full grown hens. The roost bar runs along the length of the 5X6 coop. I have seen them all on the roost bar together and they seem to fit fine. Any suggestions on how to help resolve this issue?
Thank you
 
I would try adding another roost for them. I use 2x4's with the flat side down - that way in the winter they can cover their feet with their feathers to keep them warmer. I'm not sure what state you are in but in MA it getting pretty cold at night.
 
I would try adding another roost for them. I use 2x4's with the flat side down - that way in the winter they can cover their feet with their feathers to keep them warmer. I'm not sure what state you are in but in MA it getting pretty cold at night.
I was thinking that as well. Maybe a cross bar. In on Long Island in NY. I think i need to add some more ventilation as well. I just feel so bad for her!
 
I have eight pullets and one roo, I was letting them free range, two would sleep in the trees outside and not hang out much with the others. They have a large coop so I shut them up in it for a week, now they seem to have their pecking order straightened out and hang out tegether, I do have three roosting bars though, but they seem to pack together now at night.
 
I'm going to try and add a roost bar and see what happens. I'm having the same issue....it is driving me nuts!
 
I had one of my girls pecking out one of my polish's head feather. I isolated the bully in my "Chicken Jail" for a good week and a half. Had the bully far away so she could not see or hear the others in the run. That changed the pecking order and so far so good no more problems. The other thing you can do is once they are in for the night move the little ones to where you want them. They have poor eye sight at night and should not move from where you placed them. Add another roost first and see how it goes for the first few night.

Good luck and keep me posted!!



 
They might fit but I've found that need a bit more room to get settled...and they almost always bicker for position every night no matter how long they've been coexisting.
 
Hi. Yes we added a half cross bar so the roost looks like a "T" . Every night when my nine hens put themselves to bed the six older than hens roost and the three younger hens climb up on the roof of the coop. We take them off and put them on the roost bars. When we check on them later on they are still there-which is great but they will not willingly go on by themselves.
 

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