How can I get my chickens to perch?

[MKLaughlin]

That pile of feathers is 42 chickens... they have perfectly good perches in the shed but choose to lay on the ground in a hot wet mass. Is there a way to teach them to sleep on the perches? I have picked them up when they are asleep and set them on the perch but they just hop down and climb back into the pile when they wake up. I need help.

 

[hawsecav19d]

How old are they? I got same problem right now at 9 weeks I got 29 and about 3 are starting to roost rest still pilling up in a corner. I think as they get little older they will all start to roost I have read several posts that people say chicks start roosting anywhere from 5 weeks to taking as long at 16.

 

[aart]

Show a pic of your roosts please.

Are roosts easy to get up on and down from?
They may need ramps depending on how high roosts are and how wide coop is.

What size is roost material?
2x4's wide side up, at least 12" from walls, work very well.

Do you have enough roost length for all birds?
They need about 12" per bird, they will huddle next to each other to sleep on much less space, but need the 'extra' room to get settled.

Are there older birds in that coop?

 

[MKLaughlin]

The chickens are 3 1/2 months old (around 14 weeks) they are all the same age. Two corners are set up like this.

 

[Ridgerunner]

They can be really aggravating can’t they? At that age and with those breeds I’d have expected them to start roosting by now. The roosts look fine. I don’t know how high they are but they look like they are high enough they should be using them. Since you don’t have Silkies that can’t fly and those roosts are plenty open so they can get to them, I don’t see a problem with the set-up. I’ve used tree limbs, 2x4’s flat side up and 2x4’s narrow side up a lot higher than those. I find people care about the shape and size of the roosts a lot more than the chickens do. You can try putting some more roosts up higher or change those to narrow side up but I really don’t think that will make a difference. You are dealing with chickens though. Their bird brains don’t always follow the same logic ours do.

There is nothing wrong with them sleeping in a pile on the floor other than the poop might build up and you have to “manage” that with a shovel. Normally if one starts to roost the rest soon follow but you have to have that one willing to start. My brooder-raised chicks normally wait until 10 to 12 weeks to start roosting though some have started around five weeks and some have waited a lot longer. 14 weeks and not roosting is not unreasonable. They could start on their own at any time.

If you want to teach them to roost, make sure the coop is very dark, no lights inside and maybe block the windows at night if you have lights outside. Then just set a few up on the roosts after they are asleep. You don’t have to put all of them up there but if you know which are the most dominant ones those are a good choice. They might catch on after a time or two of doing this, you may have to be patient and consistent for a while.

Good luck!

 

[MKLaughlin]

The chickens still won't roost. I have lost a few chickens to the bottom of the pile. They were smothered and died. Last night when I went to lock them in 4 were roosting on one perch in the corner but they were still on each other. There were 4 chickens in about 1 foot of space on the perch. They are about 16 weeks old now. I put the biggest most dominant chickens up on the perch after they are asleep but they still haven't really gotten the idea figured out and now it is killing chickens. We are down from 42 to 29 chickens some from sickness others from being smothered. I am at my wits end trying to get these chickens to roost up on the perch.

 

[Sutremaine]

I have picked them up when they are asleep and set them on the perch but they just hop down and climb back into the pile when they wake up.

Pick them up again and set them on the perch. If they hop down again, pick them up again and set them on the perch again. Bring sandwiches and a Thermos -- with 29 who are very used to piling on the floor, you're going to be there for a while.

How high are the perches? It'll be much easier to scoop them up and place them on the roost if you don't have to move up and down all the time. Install some new ones at chicken chest height if you need to. It doesn't matter for now how high they roost, only that they are roosting.