Help with Roosting...

[Chickybok]

Hi, hoping someone can help.... I have two new chickens (I am new to keeping chooks) and they won't roost. I've tried waiting til they're asleep and them putting them on their perches, but they just jump back off.

Also in the daytime, they seem to spend a lot of time just chilling out on the floor of the coop, underneath the perches! They only seem to come down to the ground when it's food time. They are about 14 weeks old but I've only had them for a week.... should I just leave them be and let them sleep on the floor? I don't want them sleeping in their own poop though!

Thanks!

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Hi, hoping someone can help.... I have two new chickens (I am new to keeping chooks) and they won't roost. I've tried waiting til they're asleep and them putting them on their perches, but they just jump back off.

Also in the daytime, they seem to spend a lot of time just chilling out on the floor of the coop, underneath the perches! They only seem to come down to the ground when it's food time. They are about 14 weeks old but I've only had them for a week.... should I just leave them be and let them sleep on the floor? I don't want them sleeping in their own poop though!

Thanks!

Welcome to BYC - are these two birds the only birds you have or are there other birds in the flock that they are now being housed with? Can you post a couple of photos of your coop's interior so we can see what the birds are seeing?

 

[Chickybok]

Hi, these are the only two I've got. Planning on adding to them soon but thought I'd start off small with a small flock

Here is their current coop, but we have just bought a new cooop which is a lot bigger than this (I don't want people thinking I'm a bad chicken mummy!), the new coop is the same layout/design as this though.....

 

[Chickybok]

This is one of the nesting boxes.... and these are my lovely ladies Henrietta and Falala

 

[GrannyChick66]

Hi there
I'm new to BYC also, but not new to raising chickens.
I have Rhode Island Reds and We built a beautiful perch for them from a branch, natural wood is supposed to be more comfy for their feet.
But they did not seem to start using it until right before they started laying eggs, and that was 20 weeks old. Before then they would perch on the edge of the nest boxes and poop in them. But when they bedded down for the night I would find them all huddled up on the floor in the sawdust. I just kept the sawdust clean by cleaning the poop out and they didn't seem to dirty themselves.
They all use the perches only now and only poop free eggs are left in the nest box.
I think they are just a little young yet to know what perches are for. Just give em some time, they'll get it.

 

[drumstick diva]

I think a large part of it, is they have no older birds to imitate. If you put them on the roost and turn any lights off, they should stay put. Birds don't like moving around in the dark. It seems from the nest box photo that they have too much room. It's big enough to be a chicken "family room." I think they might like a smaller nest box for one, and maybe a curtain partially closing the front, so they have privacy. When they approach point of lay you can put a golf ball or two in the nest boxes - to give them the idea.

 

[Chickybok]

Ok thanks guys, that's really helpful. There isn't actually that much mess but what there is I clean out before they go to bed for the night. I've blocked off the nesting boxes as well because they were sleeping and chilling out in those, and I read that's not a good idea they should be for egg laying only (also making their chill out space a bit smaller).....

I like the natural perch idea and also the golf ball idea. Will get those sorted this weekend. Perhaps they just want to stay dry, it's a bit rainy here in New Zealand at the moment, so perhaps they are just staying out of the rain....

p.s. I'm learning that chickens are addictive! I love them so much!

 

[trailrider330]

Welcome to the BYC flock! We are glad you joined us!

 

[Chickybok]

Why thank you! So much helpful info here and lovely people too!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!