Help with Roost Construction

[HJECG]

I can't seem to figure out how to get my 5 hens (2 EEs, a Marans and two silkies) to get up or down from the roost bars in the coop. I have one about 2.5 feet high and one about 3.25 feet high. There's a board with strips of grippy stuff like a ladder that they should be able to use to get up and down, but they won't. I have to lift them up there in the evening and literally lift them back down each morning! Any ideas for how to get them to do this themselves? Their nestboxes are about 18-22 inches up off the floor and I have a little stool for them to climb up into them..So if I lower the roosts much, then they won't be higher than the nestboxes, which I understand is a must.

Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Granny Hatchet]

what kind of grippy stuff? they need a normal ladder with wood strips on it and long enough to have a good slant to it. then put a can of meal worms up there.

 

[Ridgerunner]

How old are they? If they are still fairly young they just may not be ready to roost. Mine average 10 to 12 weeks of age before they start roosting, though I’ve had some start at 5 weeks and some start a lot later.

Silkies can’t fly and some silkies don’t like to roost, though a lot of other silkies do roost. Maybe the others just want to stay with their buds on the ground.

Mine have no trouble reaching five foot high roosts. Your roosts are not too high.

Do they have enough room to spread their wings if they try to jump up there? Mine generally prefer to fly up and down instead of using any steps.

What do your roosts look like, material and size. How far from the wall and roof are they?

It’s not the end of the world if they don’t roost. I have no idea what is going on with yours.

 

[katbriar]

Are they still young? Mine took a while to get coordinated enough even though they were big enough.

Do they have sufficient space? I've read that they need an obstruction-free horizontal distance that's twice as long as the height of the roost or nest box. So if your roosts are 2.5 feet high, they need 5 feet out in front of the roost to take off and land in. If 3 feet high they need 6 feet out of clearance. I've watched my birds with that in mind and it seems like a good rule of thumb for giving them enough room for controlled take offs and landings. (They may need more if they're still awkward teenagers!)