Question of bedding and roost

[AStitchofKate]

Alright! I have 20 hens and a rooster. 7 of my girls use our roost, the highest bar. The rest still prefer to sleep huddled in the corner of my coop. I can keep showing them the roosts and such and they just won't get past this. I only have one girl laying (my silkie) the rest have not reached laying age and my husband is putting in my nesting boxes as I type. And they will go RIGHT where these ladies and gent prefer to sleep. I'm worried Im gonna get a bunch of girls trying to use my nesting boxes as beds. So I'm planning to cover the fronts with fabric to keep that from happening. But I need advice any at all to help my girls to roost. There is MORE than enough space for all of them on the roosting bars I mean I have 7 that roost together now on one bar and still plenty of room for like 4 more birds up there with them and there are lower bars. (Ladder style roosts) The floor in the coop is cement and I use pine shavings on top of it. I had a friend suggest removing the bedding for a week to see if that would encourage them to huddle together and up there?? Has anyone ever done that and had success?? I had never heard that as a solution. I know it would make cleaning messier but I don't mind spraying it out once a week for awhile if it means helping getting these ladies in a better habit! Let me know what you have tried and worked and any other suggestions!!! Thanks SO much!!!!

 

[Percheron chick]

They are young. They will move to the roost when they are ready. Let them figure it out on their own and don't lose any sleep over it. You can restrict access to the nesting boxes at night but at first light they need to be able to get into them. They need to be comfortable with the nesting boxes before they start to lay and not have to train them to lay there after they start.

 

[AStitchofKate]

They are 14wks, is that still young to not want to roost? My rooster and silkie are older than the rest and they do not roost and I'm not entirely sure of their age cause they were brought for me as a gift and the buyers didn't ask

But like I said my silkie lays. The rest do not yet. SO I would think she has to be at least 6 months old or more?? I have no idea! hahaha Why I'm asking!! But maybe I just need to be more patient with them all. hahaha And who knows once we put the nesting boxes in and take their "love haven" they will decide to try something else out! hahaha Thanks for the advice and info !!!

 

[Percheron chick]

Mine have all moved up at POL and not much before.

 

[AStitchofKate]

That makes me feel a LOT better! I was worried that I was in some way not providing them with what they needed or not doing SOMETHING right! I will just sit back and wait it out then!! Thank you SO much!

 

[AStitchofKate]

AHHH! I HAVE TO SHARE!!! So! I was doing my monthly spraying out of the coop so I removed the bedding. After going back and forth all day I decide to just hold off ONE NIGHT before putting the pine back it...I went to close them in for the night anddddd found 12 chickens on the roost!!!!!!!!!! I was only getting 7 before!!!!!! The other one there on the floor I had JUST pushed through the run door so Im really curious to go back out and see if they made their way to the roost or not!!!! But I had to share! Removing the bedding DID encourage them to roost more something I truly was skeptical of! But I guess if you remove the "bedding" they will find a more comfortable spot! YAY!!!!!!!!!! So happy I gave it a shot! Wanted to post this in case anyone ever came across this post in search for how to help encourage roosting. I think I will hold the shavings out for a few more days see if it helps the others along! YAY!