My Chickens Are Roosting On Our Roof!

[ctomsheck]

Hello, this is my first posting on BackYardChickens. I am very new to this whole chicken thing, and am going to have to do a lot of learning as I go.

I live in Western Washington and have six young chickens, the first three we got almost two months ago, and the next three we got yesterday, and are still under a heat lamp. We have a rather large back yard that is fenced and gated, and occupied only by the chickens.

The older ones were finding creative places to sleep at night until we finished the coop for them, and then they started putting themselves away in the coop at dusk, and seemed to like their new nighttime home. For some unknown reason they stopped going in the coop at night, and started roosting on the back porch railing. I would wait until dark and carry them to the coop and close it up. This has been going on for about a week. Tonight I heard them, but couldn't see them - until I looked up on the roof. I got them off the roof and into a cardboard box and took them to the coop again. It seems somewhat unreasonable to climb a ladder onto the roof and fetch the chickens down every night, but if I leave them there, they would appear to be no more than owl or hawk bait...

Is there someone with experience who can tell me what I'm doing wrong?

 

[BrattishTaz]

I have had similar issues before. I would start closing them up in the coop a bit earlier. Use treats to entice them, catch them if that doesn't work. They should develop a routine soon. Once a dominant hen or rooster decides that the coop is the place to go at night, the rest should follow.

 

[Mahonri]

I let my Icelandics out to free range for the entire day. When I went out to check and see if they were all on their roosts, the only one missing from that pen was my blue EE that I have renamed Stella.

 

[cat1994]

 

[dawg53]

Welcome to BYC.

 

[ctomsheck]

Thank you, everyone, for your warm welcome and advice. I will try coaxing them into the coop earlier, and if that doesn't work rather quickly, I will add a wing trim.

 

[Dutchgirl]

Our chickens start doing that once in a while. Make sure that they NEVER GET LOCKED OUT OF THE COOP AT NIGHT! They will resort to another roosting place if they don't have their regular one available.

 

[mamawolf544]

from Texas

My birds free range so they sleep everywhere

 

[enjoyin' my chickens]

glad your here.

 

[weimarmama]

&

from Alabama. Glad you joined us.