How much like shavings or straw to add to hen house?

[Moezass]

My chickens don't perch at night. They huddle together in a corner. Should I be adding more bedding materials to the house?

 

[KLIL]

My chickens don't perch at night. They huddle together in a corner. Should I be adding more bedding materials to the house?

Hello from down under Australia and welcome to BYC!
You are going to love it here. Mine wouldn't roost at night so I just started putting them up at night until they finally got the hint and started doing it themselves.

Please pop by My Flock Journey and share your flock and updates with us.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/my-flock-journey-2-0.1272608/

Lovely to meet you and hope to speak more.

 

[Woytgirl]

My chickens don't perch at night. They huddle together in a corner. Should I be adding more bedding materials to the house?

Yes, the more bedding there is, the warmer it’ll be if it’s cold where you live. As the others said, they could just be young and not understand the purpose of the roosts.

 

[bald Rooster]

straw isn't the best. Ive heard It hold mites . Don't take this as a fact because I don't know for sure.
Wood shavings. I only just cover the floor. then I keep adding new to it every few days or maybe a week, until it gets so deep I have to clean it.My hens don't poop excessively in the chicken house because it is open to huge run mostly when roosting and I have poop boards.

 

[BlueBaby]

Hello, and welcome to BYC! Sometime's the younger chickens have to learn what a roosting post is for. When you put them up for the night, try putting them up on the perches for a few night's. They should then start taking to them on their own after that.

 

[feathermaid]

I'm not sure if bedding material would be the deciding factor whether or not they get on the roost bar at night. If they're young pullets, they probably just haven't learned yet. You just need to help show them how... lift them up off the floor and set them on the bar, probably several nights in a row. It'll eventually become habit.
Also, try lowering the bar so it's easier to hop onto. Once they have that mastered, you can raise it back up.

If the chickens are too old, too heavy or a breed that doesn't normally roost... that's a different story.

As far as bedding, I like to use pine shavings on the floor. I have a poop tray right under the roosts that I fill with Sweet PDZ granules and just clean out with a kitty litter scoop.

 

[ChickenLeg]

Ive used straw once because it was cheap but I agree with above poster, it had bugs all in it and it could have had mites. I only buy shavings, change it out every other week or when it needs it. Can get expensive after a while, if you have a local lumber mill you can try and see if they sell shavings, will be a lot cheaper if u can buy in bulk from them instead of buying it packaged.

 

[alexa009]

Welcome to Backyard Chickens! We are glad you joined the flock! BYC is a helpful site providing all the information you need to know about poultry! There is always space for more members on the BYC roost! Perching has nothing to do with their bedding, all of us have had problems when our chickens don't roost. Putting them on every night should work. They will start to pick up the idea on their own. Hope you enjoy it here as much as we all do!

 

[Pork Pie]

Hi and welcome to BYC. You have some great links already so I'll just say hello!
All the best

Pork Pie

 

[007Sean]

Howdy

Thanks for joining us!