My hen won't get on the roost!

[Froggy with chickens now!]

I am very new to hens. My super hubby built my coop and yard for me. (I will post pics one of these days!) I have 2 hens, a Welsummer I got on July 17th, and a Barred Rock I got August 13th. Henny, the Welsummer was a year old on July 4th, came from a friend and immediately started eating from my hand, using the nest, and using the roost. Pebbles was bought from a feed store. A guy had too many chicks and took them there to sell. She was about 5 mths old, making her about 6 mths old now. She has not started laying yet, but I feel she will any day.

When I first got her, Henny was 'mean' to her so instead of getting on the roost at night, she tucked herself away in a corner on the floor.

After about a week, I put her on the roost, but realized the next morning she had 'roosted' in a cubby where I had the jugs of feed and scratch. She was sitting all scrunched up on top of the jugs. I took the jugs out and she continued to 'roost' in that cubby. The other night I put her on the roost after they had turned in for the night. She has remained on the roosting shelf each night. I know that because the cubby remained clean. Last night I sneaked out to see what she was doing. She was laying down on the flat surface under the roost! Henny was on the roost. Will she start getting on the roost? Or do some hens just not do that? She can sleep where ever she is comfy, just thought all 'roosted'! She is so sweet, absolutely rotten! Follows me like a puppy. Can't wait till she starts laying!!!

 

[swimmer]

Not too sure what to tell you. I have four 12 week old pullets. I've tried everything to get them to roost. I'll go put them on the roost and they move off, changed location, size of the roost and they still choose to sleep in a pile on the floor. I think some hens just like to sleep in the floor. I'll be interested to here what everyone else has to say about this. I'd like for mine to roost too. They have a habit of going into the nest boxes to sleep and messing those up. They aren't laying yet, so I blocked those off for now.

 

[Froggy with chickens now!]

She will stay on the roost for the rest of the night, once I put her up there! A friend said some just don't want to roost and also said it could be that where she came from, they didn't have roosts for them!

I am about to go out and check her now. I will give her another night or so, if she still doesn't get on by herself, then she can be a 'floor rooster'!!!

She does lay on the floor under the roost instead of on the ground floor. That is better, I suppose! I can't wait to see what others say also! Thanks for your reply!

 

[swimmer]

Good luck. Another hour and it'll be dark here. I blocked off the corner the "pile" up in, so we'll see where they go tonight. They might have to to on a roost for a last resort.

 

[jzarabs]

I'm having a similar problem lately! My 4 girls roosted on their roosting barn in their small coop just fine since day one. We just built an expanded coop that has 2 roosting bars (same exact bars as in the small one) but they all pile up in the corner where the ramp to their old coop was

and one sleeps in a nest box, ugh! If I go out in the evening and try to put them on the roost, they just jump down again! UGH!!

 

[Froggy with chickens now!]

I went out just now and she was on the floor again! I put her back on the roost, but I won't move her anymore. I think a week of moving her is enough. She must would just prefer to not be on the roost. I don't like her laying on the floor because Henny might get over her and poop on her! Silly chickens! If she is happy, I will be happy!

 

[swimmer]

Three of mine roosted last night. The other layed right under the roost and got pooped on all night. So I probably did the wrong thing, but removed the roost the three were on and now there is a four foot long one for all of them. Just went out and they are all in a pile again. At least one of them isn't at the bottom getting dirty. Guess they just like to cuddle.

 

[Froggy with chickens now!]

Just came in from church, went out to check my ladies, and guess what?

Pebbles was on the roost!

First time on her own!

I gave up a few days ago and decided she could do what she wanted to do. There you go! Now, if she will just start laying eggs!

 

[swimmer]

That's funny, bucause I went out last night and three were roosted. We changed the roosting bar to a 2x4 instead of a 2x2 and they seem to like that. But we'll see what tonight brings. They never seem to do the same thing two nights in a row.

 

[jaimslee4u]

For some reason not all mine like to roost. Some like to cuddle up together and some like to roost!