Pullets not roosting

[myCatalina]

Any photos of the roost to see if there's a way to improve them? Is the coop adequately lit at dusk (either naturally or artificially) so they can navigate and see the roosts?

Assuming the above are fine, if you don't have roosting adult birds it does usually take young birds longer to figure it out on their own. You can wait them out if you don't mind them being on the ground, or physically place them on the roost each night until they figure it out.

I put one in the original post.

 

[kattabelly]

View attachment 4269230

It doesn't look like there would be enough room to use the higher roost there. How close is it to the wall?

 

[myCatalina]

It doesn't look like there would be enough room to use the higher roost there. How close is it to the wall?

It is pulled away from the wall a bit but the picture does make it look like it is rightnext to it. I have seen them walking and sitting on the roost during the day, just not at night.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

It is pulled away from the wall a bit but the picture does make it look like it is rightnext to it. I have seen them walking and sitting on the roost during the day, just not at night.

Is it 15” from the wall at nighttime? That’s the general recommendation, with 12” as the minimum.

Since chickens have terrible night vision, they can’t tell if they’re about to bonk their heads on the wall.

 

[JedJackson]

Is that window in the picture left open? Is it the only ventilation in the coop. Both could be problems.

Chickens, even in winter, need a lot of cross ventilation. It is best provided at the top of the coop, just narrow, wire covered areas. Otherwise moisture builds up and will freeze in cold weather, and they could die of cold.

It might be a good idea to move the roosting bars away from the window if it stays open.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Agreed that the top roost looks too close to the wall in the photo. Lower roost looks fine, have you tested it for draftiness when the windows are open? A strip of tissue paper or lightweight string held at roost level should be mostly stationary or only stirring a bit if there's wind outside. If it's fluttering about more noticeably then that's draftiness.

Given what looks like pretty low headroom, can you actually reach the roost area to be able to manually place birds onto it?

 

[Three Stents]

went to make sure the coop is secure tonite and guess what? Yup, all 4 are on the top roost! Should I unblock the nesting boxes?

 

[rosemarythyme]

went to make sure the coop is secure tonite and guess what? Yup, all 4 are on the top roost! Should I unblock the nesting boxes?

I'd make sure they were using the roosts consistently (like a week) before unblocking.

 

[Knobby]

Mine were born on August 3rd..can't count up to them high numbers...and are doing the same exact thing. I've tried numerous times to force them up onto the roosting bars, only for them to jump down and huddle in a corner of the the floor. My other batches, born April 2, and May 2, have had no issues, and have been roosting on bars after a while. So, eventually, they will decide on their own when it's their time to roost.

 

[Three Stents]

I'd make sure they were using the roosts consistently (like a week) before unblocking.

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