I'm new at this so don't laugh!

[Grey's]

Okay so I have my coop built. I have boards put up for roosting etc At night I bring the girls in from their outside area. When I go inside the next morning their is always a lot of poop behind the door??

I thought they roosted during the night but a guy that works at a chicken place says no they lay together on the floor

My guys never seem to want to "roost" lol Inform me pls lol

 

[teach1rusl]

Many chicks up to a few months will cluster together in a pile rather than roost, especially if the coop or place is new to them...a security thing I guess. So it's probably just that. Now, I've also read of certain breeds (such as silkies) preferring to sleep in the bedding rather than roost as well...not sure why???

 

[Schultz]

are these meat birds? I had some freedom rangers that prefered to lay together on the floor but all of my other birds in my other coops always roost.

 

[thespinningcottage]

Put them on the roost when you close them up. Maybe they'll get the idea and stay there. Our young'uns always slept on the floor until they got the hang of roosting.

 

[chicks4kids]

You could also put them up on the roost after its dark out...they'll learn real quick that that is where they should be sleeping (unless of course they are meat birds). If you do it after its dark out, they're less apt to move to the floor. Plus, also make sure that they can get to the roost easily...perhaps a ladder of some sort to help them get up there.

 

[I have WHAT in my yard?]

We had to do a couple of roost ideas at first. Our roost bars were too square for the girls' feet I think.

Then they were too narrow and the girls were still working it out. they got the hang of it! (And so did we!

)

 

[Lilacfeather]

I just got some chickens that are 10 weeks old, and they hunker down for the night too. All squished into an impossibly compact pile in the corner, after I went through all the trouble to have a roomy coop with nice roosts. Ah, well.

 

[newtochick]

All of my chickens sleep on the floor! They refuse to go up on the bar. I have 3 silkies and expected it from them, but I also have 2 barred rocks and a black Austrolorpe (spl?), and a buff orp. All over 5 mths old, the buff and black are 1 yr. I dunno they are weird I guess lol!

 

[FiveHens]

Are they comfortable on the roost?
i.e:
it's some kind of a wooden pole, a 2"-4" diameter, or a 2x2 or 2x4 piece of wood (not slippery, with purchase)?
They can hop onto it easily enough?
They can all fit up there (8"-1'/bird) and head room?

If that's not helpful...they're little birds. They might get used to it. Or they might not.

PS: When ours were little, we made the roost closer to the ground for them. Maybe?

 

[newtochick]

Mine are comfortable, they have a nice probably 3" tree branch, the same ones are in their run and they will jump on it, at least the Barred Rocks will, but they don't want anything to do with it in the hen house. They just all pile on each other. My black one actually sleeps in the egg box...she loves it in there all by herself! Like I said, I think my hens are just weird...or maybe just spoiled!!!