Not sleeping on the perch

[sophie90]

I have 5 hens ages ranging from 8-14 weeks. They’re all great at taking themselves into the coop at night but won’t sleep on the roosting bars.

There’s two bars in the coop so space isn’t an issue and I’ve noticed them jumping up and sitting on there in the daytime so they can get up there with no problems, but when I go out in the morning and peep in at night they’re all snuggled up on the floor and now my oldest hen has taken to sleeping in the nesting box too.

Any advice would be much appreciated! I’d like to get them up on the roost and out of the nesting box before my oldest ones get to point of lay in a few weeks time (hopefully!)

 

[sourland]

Are your roosts higher than the nest boxes ? Chickens generally like to sleep at the highest point possible.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Have they ever used the roosts?

Start by blocking nests off for the time being, since they're not yet laying. Pick up birds each night when it's dark and physically put them on the roosts, to show them that's where they're supposed to be.

 

[sophie90]

Are your roosts higher than the nest boxes ? Chickens generally like to sleep at the highest point possible.

No, they’re lower than the roosts, just a little above ground level

 

[sophie90]

Have they ever used the roosts?

Start by blocking nests off for the time being, since they're not yet laying. Pick up birds each night when it's dark and physically put them on the roosts, to show them that's where they're supposed to be.

I’ll try that tonight and see how we go!

I can probably say on around 3 or 4 occasions I’ve gone out in the morning and heard a couple of thuds as I open up for them which I’m assuming is them jumping down and when I’ve looked inside 1 or 2 are still sitting up there.

Could it be that they’re a bit cold? I know they snuggle together on the roosts but Would it be warmer snuggled on the ground?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Has nothing to do with cold. Their instincts should tell them to want to sleep higher up, which is what the roosts do, however sometimes with chicks raised without hens, they don't quite figure it out for themselves for a while. So helps for you to show them.

How much usable linear roost space do you have?

 

[sophie90]

Has nothing to do with cold. Their instincts should tell them to want to sleep higher up, which is what the roosts do, however sometimes with chicks raised without hens, they don't quite figure it out for themselves for a while. So helps for you to show them.

How much usable linear roost space do you have?

There’s two roosts both about 80cm wide.

I must have jinxed myself as I’ve been out this morning and 4 out of 5 were up on the roost! They must have heard me

I’ll try blocking off the nest box tonight to see if I can get the last one up on there too