OK guy and gals we have gotten our first coop this week and need some help... I got a 6yr old australorp from a friend and 2 1 year old bantams from another the bantams are laying with no issue and roosting just fine.. My issue is that the australorp isn't roosting on the bar but the bottom of the coop. I picked her up and sat her in the roost bars yesterday and she sat there all day long maybe 4-5 hours and never came down... I am wondering in my coop isn't big enough or if the roost bars are to high for her any help would be great!!! The guy told me she was laying daily but haven't seen a egg..
How high amd wide is your roost? Australorps can be pretty big, enough that jumping off any height can injure their legs or hips. She may be accustomed to sleeping on a lower and/or wider roost, or even sleeping on a shelf or platform, or the floor. Can you find out from your friend, maybe?
You didn't say how high the roosts were, and that would be helpful. What I would do is provider her with multiple roosts at different heights, and let her decide which one she wants. I have chickens that want to be as high as possible, and I have had chickens that next on the floor with the ducks. Just depends on the bird's individual taste!
