Non-Roosting Poop Machines

DellaMyDarling

Songster
Dec 13, 2017
631
876
216
Mass Hilltowns
I have a very mixed age flock.
Included, a large number of late summer hatchers.
These guys adamantly refuse to roost. There are a couple who have broken the herd mentality, but most of them just chicken pile.
As the rest of my flock has seen this, more and more often I find the older birds sleeping on ground, on shelf, and no longer sleeping near their chosen bird buddies. Weirdos.

Judging by the copious amounts of smaller bird turds in my nest boxes every.single.day, these non roosting brats are pooping up the joint at night.

I DO need to build more roosts, but I can assure you that not all roost space is being utilized as is. More roosts are intended to give more selection and accommodate everyone once full grown. If they'll use them.

There are no drafts hitting the roosting locations. Every bird is coop comfortable.
Although, another oddity, these younger birds refuse to go out in the run either. You can toss them all out the window and within 30 seconds there's a stampede back in. When weather was nice I even tried things like penning them in one side of run without the rest of the flock, and they'd chicken pile against the divider. Tried locking them out with the flock and without in the entire run and there'd be a giant bird pile on the ramp. A few odd times I let them free range. They stayed about 5ft out the barn door.

Hmm. Thoughts? I had none of these issues with the last 2 batches of birds I raised.
 
Just not integrated yet?

I have a very mixed age flock.
How many different age groups?

I found it odd this fall that the flock started spreading all over to roost, thought it was molting thing. Have seen one or two roost away from the group, but never more than that and never on a totally separate roost. They can create 'odd' habits. I finally took down one of the roosts they were using to get them all back where I wanted them(over the poop board).

As for sleeping in the nests, I remove chicks from nests after dark and put them on a roost,
and/or cover the nests just before roost time, then uncover when I lock up after dark.
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