My chickens wont roost

[KatsCountryCritters]

I have turned an old wooden ladder into a roost and my chickens won't sit on it. They would much rather sit on top of the nesting boxes (not in them) or huddle in a corner on the ground. I will find at least 3 sleeping inside a milk crate. They are all 6 months old and not laying yet. 3 are roos and 7 are hens.

 

[ChickensRDinos]

How tall is your ladder versus your rooster. If your nesting boxes are up higher than your roost they will never roost where you want them too.

I would block off the roosts at night so they have to sleep on the roosts. After a week or so a the new routine you will not need to block them off anymore.

 

[KatsCountryCritters]

oh, so you want your roosts up high? All the one's I've seen start close to the floor and go up. I tried putting the ladder up right and they wouldn't go on it, so I laid it about a foot off the ground and they ignore it too. I will try the other way for a while and see if it makes a difference and put something on top of the nesting boxes so they won't go up there.