Nine week olds won't use roosting bar at night, how do I teach them?

[lceh]

My 9-week-old bantams are still sleeping huddled up in a pile in the corner of the henhouse at night and ignoring their roosts. During the day they hang out on the roosts, so I know they're not too high or too big around for them. Why don't they sleep there? Will they learn to on their own, or do I need to teach them somehow? They're sleeping in the nesting box now, which will become a problem when they finally start laying eggs....

 

[annek]

Have you tried placing them on the roost at night? Close or remove the nesting boxes, you don't want them in there.

Mine are roosting up at the peak of the roof and I am trying to get them to go on their roost which is much cooler and has a spot for their poop to go rather than down my clean wall. They just squawk at me when I move them and go back as soon as I leave. Dang birds....

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

You can try that...I usually wait and they eventually get it for some reason....

 

[cochinbantam-lover]

If it was me I would wait till dark, then go out and set each one onto the roost! It might only take a couple nights of doing this for them to learn. It's just what I would do tho!

 

[corporatecowgirl]

That worked for me..put them there a couple of times after dark and they go on their own now.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Mine girls just kind of 'got it' one day... "ohhh so that's what those things are for!"

Our 7 week old EE girls haven't figured it out yet.

 

[fargosmom]

Yep - just keep "tucking them in" at night and they'll catch on. It only took ours 2 nights, if I recall . . .

 

[BirdBrain]

We didn't do squat. Just left them in there and eventually they figured it out.

 

[Bush Farms]

My 6 week old Buff Orpingtons won't go in at night...I have to go out put them on their perch then lock up...I figure they will get it soon..only been outside a week now

 

[Bush Farms]