Importance of pullets using their roost bar?

[gggeek]

I brought home 4 pullets this past weekend (9 weeks old).

The first night they all headed into the coop without issue but they insisted on roosting in the doorway and on the ramp. A little encouragement got them in the coop and 3 out of 4 made it on the 7 feet of available roost bar. However, one refused to hop up on the roost bar and instead spent the night bedded down in the pine shavings.

The second night only one (the RIR that seems to be the dominant hen) used the roost bar. The other three (two Speckled Sussex and one Salmon Favoralle) nestled together in a corner of the coop in the shavings.

Temps are in the mid-40s at night.

My main question is how much I should worry about 9 week old hens not using a roost bar?

 

[chicmom]

Don't worry at all. They will figure it out with time. You can try and pace them on the roost if you want, but more often, with time, they will do it on their own.

 

[gggeek]

Don't worry at all. They will figure it out with time. You can try and pace them on the roost if you want, but more often, with time, they will do it on their own.

Thanks. I didn't want to do too much forceful handling in the first two days, but may try and place them up tonight. I also had a chuckle as my wife asked "won't they get pooped on?" since they were huddling right under the RIR that was using the roost bar. And honestly I have no idea if they would stay there all night getting pooped on or not... they were clean as a whistle when they came out this morning.