How to get chickens to sleep on roosting stick??

[3KillerBs]

The roost is like nailed to the wall so I’m not sure how to do that

Photos?

My first instinct is to say "Cut the nails with a sawzall then make new supports like this," but I really need to see how it's actually mounted first.

The roost supports in my small coop:

The length of the roost is cut to fit firmly, but not so firm that I can't lift it out to make cleaning the coop easier.

 

[JubileeFarmer]

If that's the same plastic feeder I have, and I think it is, it's a foot wide and the roost is only half that width from the wall.

You'll want to move that roost out about a foot from the wall to give the birds room for their tails.

That might be an optical illusion. The feeder is closer to the camera than the roost attachment at the back wall so the bar may look closer to the wall than it actually is.

HannahL - can you measure the distance from the wall to the roost bar?

One thing that I do see is that the bottom of the screened window is about the same level as the roost bar so they might be getting too much of a draft at night. Your profile doesn't say where you are. If you are in a warm climate the window location may not matter but if you are in a cooler climate that could be the problem.

 

[aart]

HannahL - can you measure the distance from the wall to the roost bar?

Good Idea!

 

[Ridgerunner]

It looks like there is plenty of light in there with that window, they should be able to see to go to bed when it starts getting dark. That's probably why that one hopped down when you put it up there, it could still see well enough. They can maneuver in fairly dark conditions better than some people give them credit for. Even if you are in a cold climate it's unlikely there is a constant cold wind whistling through there to stop them from using that roost, I don't think that is the problem.

Chickens aren't that great at reading a tape measure, most don't even have access to one. When you set them up there is sounds like most of them spent the night, it may not have been that crowded. 12" from the wall is a standard recommendation but I have seen a few sleep in strange places closer than that. If they want to sleep there, they will orient themselves in a way they can. Still, if it is close it may be uncomfortable. That looks like a 4" x 4" roost, they should be OK with that but it does look closer than I'd put it. I know I'm rambling on this, I don't think it is a problem, but maybe you could drop a couple of hangers from the ceiling and install a 4' long roost further from the wall if you are uncomfortable with it.

I don't see anything really wrong, I think they just don't want to for whatever reason. I'd go in every night after dark and set them on the roosts. Be consistent, every night. I think you can train them to sleep up there.

Good luck!