I thought they liked to be high up?

[downtownjb80]

I recently built my girls a new coop converted from a shed. I put in a couple of roosting bars at different heights, the higher one being a foot higher than the lower one. But they only seem to want to use the lower one. I have tried for the last few nights lifting them on to the higher bar but every night when I go to lock up they are back on the lower bar. I have heard from other people that their chickens will jump up to the highest roosts possible, and they have found them up near the roof. It is OK for now as there are only 5 girls in there, but soon another 5 will be added and there won't be room for them all on one roost. Will they figure it out?

 

[richsbabycakes]

I'm certainly no expert but I would think they'll figure it out. We just added a new roost to our coop and all but one of them gets up there right away. The last one is, um, odd to begin with so I'm not sure she'll ever roost up there.

 

[downtownjb80]

It is quite dark inside so will they be seeing the higher bar properly?

 

[Reurra]

I would not worry. I did the same thing for my birds. They picked the one they liked best and stuck with it. Last night I did some work on the coop to accommodate a secondary run for my bantams. As I was working i decided to change thier roost in the main coop. I have 7 hens trying to fit on a roost that is less than four feet long. Despite having 3 other roosts available to them. So i tore down all the roosts and put on long one in there where thier favorite one is. Everyone went to bed happy. I think it just depends on who likes what. I notice alot of birds seem to go with the crowd. As long as they are not sleeping on the floor I would venture to guess they will be fine. I know though that too high of a perch can cause injuries to birds trying to get up and down.

 

[SophieL]

At least yours are using the perches. I got my pullets at 11 weeks old and they are still, at 16 weeks, sleeping on the floor of the coop on pine shavings!

I got some antique ladders, they are sized well, and there's enough rungs for all of them, but they refuse to perch. I've even put some of them up at night, but in the morning, they're all back on the floor.

Weirdos.

I'm thinking about building some new perches, but I swear, if they don't use them I will be mightily annoyed.

 

[downtownjb80]

My first lot did that as well, but they finally got the hang of it. This time around I got them learning early and now at about 9-10 weeks they just about have got the hang of it.

 

[Den in Penn]

You may have answered your own question. Do you have enough windows in the converted shed to let in enough light as it is getting dark?

 

[SophieL]

I have a light on in my coop until dark, unfortunately, they still refuse to use them...

I think next time I will get chicks. At least then I can start teaching them earlier.

 

[Reurra]

I put a roost in my brooder, they figured it out pretty quick and were using it almost right away. Once they were moved to the big coop though, they were back on the floor, I did the same thing, but I had 2 older hens roosting right next to thier run. I think watching them got them into the habit. Now everyone tries to fit.