Not roosting

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

i have see. Many old threads about not roosting but am pretty baffled. My chicks used to roost in their brooder box and the dog crate that we let them in while i was building the coop. Now they are 10 weeks and have been in the coop since 6/7weeks. The coop is quite large in comparison to the brooder. I have 3 ladder roosts with plenty of space for all 10 of my girls. I have tried helping situate them on roosts and usually they hop right off. They choose to huddle up and pile on each other in one corner of the coop. And it is so hot out so i know they are not trying to stay warm. This is my first flock so i am happy to hear and thoughts or suggestions. On the up side it makes it super easy to scoop up some poop every morning and the rest of the coop is spotless

 

[PotatoHead]

Mine also huddled in a corner, until one day a couple decided to roost. Shortly after the rest joined on the roost and now they huddle on a corner of the roost

 

[Ridgerunner]

By roosting in the brooder and dog crate do you mean they slept there at night or were they just up there playing during the day? During the day that is not roosting, it's perching, which is a form of play.

You are right, at ten weeks they are not staying warm, they just like the company.

I assume there are no adults in there?

Right now I don't see anything as broken, so no strong need of a fix. Mine often do not start roosting until they are 10 to 12 weeks old. Yours may just need a little more time. But how dark is it in the coop? If there is much light they can see to hop down and join their buddies. If it is really dark maybe not. As Potatohead said, all you usually need it to get one to roost, the others often follow pretty soon.

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

No we just have the 10 week old pullets ...So i guess they were perching. I have a solar light in there that i tried the other night thinking they couldn’t see well enough to figure it out. They seem to really like the ladders during the day and chose to play on them today in the heat rather than go outside.
Considering adding a few laying hens for a few reasons. But glad to hear they will figure it out.

 

[rosemarythyme]

If you want to speed along the process you can try picking them up and putting them on the roost at night. I did that with mine, on the second night they put themselves on the lower bar, and on the third day...

 

[RustyBucketFarmGirl]

i have see. Many old threads about not roosting but am pretty baffled. My chicks used to roost in their brooder box and the dog crate that we let them in while i was building the coop. Now they are 10 weeks and have been in the coop since 6/7weeks. The coop is quite large in comparison to the brooder. I have 3 ladder roosts with plenty of space for all 10 of my girls. I have tried helping situate them on roosts and usually they hop right off. They choose to huddle up and pile on each other in one corner of the coop. And it is so hot out so i know they are not trying to stay warm. This is my first flock so i am happy to hear and thoughts or suggestions. On the up side it makes it super easy to scoop up some poop every morning and the rest of the coop is spotless

Update! All ladies are roosting at night in the coop! Started at about 12 weeks and progressed until everyone was up off the ground.

I move one of the roost ladders over to the corner that they piled in and that encouraged the process to get started. Each night a couple more would join in. Then i moved the ladder back with the others.

Thanks for all the help!

 

[tanyabee]

Mine are all 13-15 weeks and still not roosting (I only have 4).