New coop... Hens wont roost?

[Jeevesrules]

2 nights ago i moved my hens into a new coop. I did this because soo i am getting more chickens (

) and they need more room. I made two roost bars about 4 feet high with a ramp up to one end. I have had to place them on the roost both nights. when will they learn?

thanks

 

[GoldenSparrow]

mine were like that in the begining. every night when dark, I would pick them up and put them on the pearch.
sometimes i would go back right before I would go to bed, to make sure they stayed on it. if not I would put them back on.
i did it every night for a 4 or 5 days. they learned fast.

 

[katssmilin]

When we built our coop we put a roost in and the chickens didn't use it. After talking to some people we were told they don't really need it so we took it out. Do they really need a roost? We have had them for about 4 months and for the last 3 they haven't had one.

 

[KatieandRon]

Our Chix are about 3 months old now and have been in the coop for about a month. every day, after work, we let them out to roam the yard and like clock-work they head in around 8pm. The Girls have been piling in one corner and it looks uncomfortable but they seem to want to be there.. even after I picked them up and placed them on the roost.. they jump down and again pile into the corner.


Coop: 8' x 5' with 1 roost 8' long and 1 roost 3' long both about 2.5' off the ground with a box in the middle about 1' off the ground. we even have their original roost on the ground

I have read that they will go to the roost when they are ready...should I stop worrying?


p.s. we had a ton of flies but then I started adding a small layer of pine shavings every(other) day instead of once or twice a week and this has cut the flies down from "I can't count the darn things" to around 10 or 20. along with a sprinkle of D.E.