Around the time winter started here, our 2 year old Buff Orpington and 3 year old Bantam Cochin/Silkie mix were first to molt. They finished their molt 2 weeks ago but they're still refusing to sleep on the roosts. I keep having to pick them off the floor and put them on one of the roosts. As I'm still re-doing their roosts, they currently only have 3 large roosts. We have 9 hens, 1 cockerel total. Our cockerel doesn't sleep in the coop at night currently as he keeps making a racket by clucking like a hen even though there's nothing in the backyard.
Anyway when these 2 hens were molting I allowed them to sleep in a nesting box together but once they finished their molts, I started closing up the boxes before bedtime to prevent them from getting in them. Now they keep trying to sleep on the floor with the ducks. I keep putting them on an empty roost but the Buff Orpington keeps jumping back down before her buddy does as well.
Any ideas on how to get them to sleep on the roosts without me assisting??
Anyway when these 2 hens were molting I allowed them to sleep in a nesting box together but once they finished their molts, I started closing up the boxes before bedtime to prevent them from getting in them. Now they keep trying to sleep on the floor with the ducks. I keep putting them on an empty roost but the Buff Orpington keeps jumping back down before her buddy does as well.
Any ideas on how to get them to sleep on the roosts without me assisting??
