Odd man (chick) out

[GoldenCometLady]

I am new to raising chicks and didn't know about the little roost in the brooder
so now that they are in the coup they are still all sleeping on the floor.
We are finding one 4wk old chick sleeping off by itslef instead of with the group.
I have not noticed any difference in the interaction no pecking going on so
has me baffeled. We have 6- 5wk olds and 6- 4wk olds all Golden Comet pullets
They have the sweetest personalites and are quick to group around me and on me
which I am very happy about. I am just wondering why this one chick would not
want to sleep next to the others. It is almost always sleeping in the same spot.

 

[bigstack]

I have 4 the same way. There is plenty of roost space. I have 4 roosts and only 2 full! The 4 birds refuse to sleep on the roost. The other 47 are always sleeping on the roost. The 4 will sit on the roost but everytime I go into the coop in the morning they are in the same spot...on the floor! I guess they just feel better there. I also have 1 that sleeps in a dog crate. I put it in the coop to give the smaller ones a place to get away from the bigger birds Just in case! I have 13 week, 12 week, 11 week, and 10 week olds together. they have all been in the coop for 5 weeks now. In the beginning I kept the smaller set apart from the others until I put them all in the coop. They got along fine! I have never seen any pecking or fighting....other than normal pecking order stuff (puting the others in their place) They get along GREAT! I am hoping that when I finish my new bigger coop they will start to roost. There is no bedding in the new coop. It is a raised coop with a plywood floor. The one they are in now is a ground coop with a sandy dirt floor and a lil wood chips I had left over from the brooder.

Good Luck and God Bless!

 

[Ridgerunner]

Even with a roost in the brooder, mine did not start using the roost in the coop until they were 10 or 11 weeks old, although they had access at 4 weeks. They would play on the roosts during the day, but sleep in a pile on the floor at night. Some posters on this forum have reported it taking a lot longer than 10 weeks for them to start roosting. I'd advise patience. When they are ready, they will roost.

I don't know why one would be off by itself. They all have their own personalities and instincts. I'd guess it is at the bottom of the pecking order and the others won't let it sleep with them, but it could just be a personal preference. I think it is best for the flock to work out its own flock dynamics without too much inteference from me unless they start to physically harm one another. They have to live together.

Good luck!!!