Not roosting at night

[needlessjunk]

My pullets are now almost 18 weeks old and I figured they would start roosting when they were ready a long time ago. One of my girls is getting nice large red wattles and comb so I figure she is getting close to laying. I finally opened up their nesting box and put 2 golf balls and they just want to sleep in it

I will roost but the other 2 and very adamant about sleeping in there and will knock over the board I use to block it off to get in there. I now just block it off at night. Even when I block it off only 1 or 2 actually roost and at least 1 sleeps on the floor.

 

[barneveldrerman]

Every night you can put your chickens onto the roost. If one figures it out the rest will follow. It will take some time to train them on anything.


Hope this helped and let me know if you have more questions!

 

[needlessjunk]

Every night you can put your chickens onto the roost. If one figures it out the rest will follow. It will take some time to train them on anything.


Hope this helped and let me know if you have more questions!

I've been doing that for the last 2 weeks and the one in particular just refuses to stay up there. She is the one that is closes to laying. I go back around 10pm and put her back up there too.

 

[TalkALittle]

How big is your roost? Any chance the others aren't letting her up there? If she's shy or timid she might prefer to sleep a distance from the others.

 

[needlessjunk]

How big is your roost? Any chance the others aren't letting her up there? If she's shy or timid she might prefer to sleep a distance from the others.

It's not large, about 2 1/2 feet for 3 birds but she sleep right below the others. It's a pre fab house so not the best design and the roosting bar is only 6 inches or so off the ground. I have a feeling they will end up laying in the duck house before they will lay in the nesting box in their house. They never go in there during the day but will go stir up the duck house and hang in there.

 

[TalkALittle]

It's not large, about 2 1/2 feet for 3 birds but she sleep right below the others.

2 1/2 feet is very tight. It doesn't give any room to maneuver. I think it is a pecking order issue made worse by the small coop. Either they are actively keeping her off or she's choosing to sleep on the floor to avoid conflict. Oftentimes a high ranking bird will tolerate the presence of a lower ranking bird as long as the bird is physically lower. Take that same distance but put it at the same elevation as the high ranking bird and it is seen as a challenge to the pecking order.

 

[needlessjunk]

2 1/2 feet is very tight. It doesn't give any room to maneuver. I think it is a pecking order issue made worse by the small coop. Either they are actively keeping her off or she's choosing to sleep on the floor to avoid conflict. Oftentimes a high ranking bird will tolerate the presence of a lower ranking bird as long as the bird is physically lower. Take that same distance but put it at the same elevation as the high ranking bird and it is seen as a challenge to the pecking order.

Hmmm... I'll have to watch their pecking order. I'm not sure who is top bird since the ducks are all at the top and then the 3 chickens. None are super dominate but I think because the ducks are. The 2 that do roost are litterally right on top of her and each other by their choice. No one goes to the far end to roost or sleep on the floor but rather all pile on top of each other.

 

[aart]

Sounds awfully crowded.