Okay, so they're not babies anymore.......but.....

[NattiFan]

Okay so my girls have been out in their big girl coop not for two weeks. They are just over 10 weeks old now....but they haven't flew up to their roosts yet! The tallest one is 4 foot up and I know they can get up there......one tried to perch up on my wife's....well....let's just say one of our girls was chest high before I caught her and put her back on the ground...I've built a small ladder that goes from the foor up to the tallest roost, but they don't seem tobe trying it.........anyone have any other ideas on how to get my girls up on the roosts? I don't feel like remodeling my coop...

 

[alicefelldown]

Go in at night when they are sleeping and place them on the roosts. They should be sleepy enough to tolerate being moved and not fly back down. After a few nights they should get the idea.

 

[NattiFan]

Quote:
Good idea...I'll give it a shot...it's funny, right now they pile up in the corner of the coop...it's pretty funny, cause they'll fight and squirm to see who can get the furthest on the bottom...pretty funny. It's 65 out there so I know they aren't cold....but they do that every night...same corner...

 

[Betsy410]

We have 6 hens around the same age and 2 get up on a roost and 4 lay in one of the nesting boxes. I went out tonight and all 6 were up on the roost side by side! I was a proud mama! LOL

I think they will roost when they feel like it....independent chickens!


Betsy

 

[felidaet]

Last year I used the technique of putting them on the roost after they were sleeping. Most of the caught on after 3 or 4 nights.

This years flock (in a second coop) look like they are not going to need any training. I am finding some of the on the roost every night now. The range in age from 6 to 9 weeks old. I have not tried training them to use the roost yet because I still have a heat lamp in there at night. Our night temperatures are still getting down to 45 - 50 degrees. It looks like we are finally going to get a little warmer and I may be able to eliminate the night time heat lamp in the next couple of days (maybe tomorrow night).