One pullet isn't roosting

[krista74]

That is excellent news!

I'm so glad things worked out well for both you and her

Krista

 

[evemfoster]

My girls have a large platform covered in straw to roost on but for some reason, they all sit in one huddle, often on top of each other, in the draughtiest area of the roost!!
Sometimes I just don't understand them...

Your roost (platform and straw) sounds more like a nest. Chicken don't roost in nests, they are for laying eggs in. They prefer to roost on a branch with air space under it. Like there would be if they were roosting high up in the trees. Its a safety thing, they can pretend they are up way high and away from all predators.

About the only time mine will roost on the ground is in extremely cold weather. They dig holes in the shavings and bunch up to keep warm.

 

[Mah1Mah1]

Your roost (platform and straw) sounds more like a nest. Chicken don't roost in nests, they are for laying eggs in. They prefer to roost on a branch with air space under it. Like there would be if they were roosting high up in the trees. Its a safety thing, they can pretend they are up way high and away from all predators.

About the only time mine will roost on the ground is in extremely cold weather. They dig holes in the shavings and bunch up to keep warm.

I have a bar for for them but they ignore it and jump onto the shelf instead, then they just sleep there and poo in the same spot over and over until they are sleeping on a bed of poo. Then I have to clean it

 

[evemfoster]

I have a bar for for them but they ignore it and jump onto the shelf instead, then they just sleep there and poo in the same spot over and over until they are sleeping on a bed of poo. Then I have to clean it

Is your roost the highest thing in the coop? No matter what it is they go for the highest thing in the room. Being high up is important to them. And they like something behind them like a wall within a foot or two.

Can you send pitures of the coop.

 

[Mah1Mah1]

Is your roost the highest thing in the coop? No matter what it is they go for the highest thing in the room. Being high up is important to them. And they like something behind them like a wall within a foot or two.

Can you send pitures of the coop.

Here is the coop, I know it's shoddy but we are building a new one soon. We just need a house to lock the girls in for the night so they don't get attacked, they free-range all day and go to bed at about 6:00pm.

 

[evemfoster]

There doesn't appear to be enough head room to move the roost higher than the shelf. You could try moving the roost up to the same level they may move over to the roost.

By the way your coop is just fine. Mine on the other hand is a leading contender for the ugliest coop award. It is still under construction, working on insulating now. I live in the hills and hardly anyone will be seeing it. So not too worried about how horrible it looks.

When i set out to build the coop the goal was to spend as little as possible. So the coop is built out of corner posts made out of dead pine trees, the bracing is old landscaping timbers and an old disassembled dog house, and the siding is small leftover odd shaped steel siding scraps from pole building construction. The siding is in 4 colors; white, light green, dark green and red. I covered the coop with whatever scrap happened to fit at the time like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. It looks sort of like a Frankenstein coop. I do plan on painting it all one color. Hopping the painting will hide the major flaws and make it look a little bit more respectable.

 

[Mah1Mah1]

There doesn't appear to be enough head room to move the roost higher than the shelf. You could try moving the roost up to the same level they may move over to the roost.

By the way your coop is just fine. Mine on the other hand is a leading contender for the ugliest coop award. It is still under construction, working on insulating now. I live in the hills and hardly anyone will be seeing it. So not too worried about how horrible it looks.

When i set out to build the coop the goal was to spend as little as possible. So the coop is built out of corner posts made out of dead pine trees, the bracing is old landscaping timbers and an old disassembled dog house, and the siding is small leftover odd shaped steel siding scraps from pole building construction. The siding is in 4 colors; white, light green, dark green and red. I covered the coop with whatever scrap happened to fit at the time like putting together a jigsaw puzzle. It looks sort of like a Frankenstein coop. I do plan on painting it all one color. Hopping the painting will hide the major flaws and make it look a little bit more respectable.

Our coop has been many things including (and not limited too); a guinea pig hutch, rabbit hutch, snake cage, rabbit birthing chamber & now, chicken coop. It was originally built by my dad for a carpet python our uncle gave to us and has served and complete many purposes.

And I will try to move the roost, but the chickens like it where it is because they use it to jump onto the shelf (because they are bantams and are too small to get up there themselves)

 

[aart]

Our coop has been many things including (and not limited too); a guinea pig hutch, rabbit hutch, snake cage, rabbit birthing chamber & now, chicken coop. It was originally built by my dad for a carpet python our uncle gave to us and has served and complete many purposes.

And I will try to move the roost, but the chickens like it where it is because they use it to jump onto the shelf (because they are bantams and are too small to get up there themselves)

Try using something bigger than that dowel rod for a roost, like a 2x2, I think it's too small for them to settle on for the night.

 

[Mah1Mah1]

Try using something bigger than that dowel rod for a roost, like a 2x2, I think it's too small for them to settle on for the night.

we are getting a new coop soon so i'll keep that in mind, thanks