Roost Design

[kjshirrell]

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There are different things that can cause that. A big one is that chickens tend to roost as high as they can. It's an instincive thing called self-preservation. Your roosts need to be higher than anything you don't want them roosting on or spending the night in.

Sometimes chicks that are transitioning from sleeping on the floor to the roosts spend some time in the nest boxes. Depending in age, this could be a day or two or it could be weeks. Chickens are creatures of habit. Sometimes they get stuck in the habit of sleeping there and don't complete the move to the roosts. Once they are old enough to spend the night in the open on the roosts instead of huddled protectively in a warm group, you can put them on the roosts after dark. I've seen a broody take her chicks to the roosts at two weeks in the summer but in colder weather 4 to 5 weeks would be more appropriate. Most of my brooder raised chicks don't start roosting without a broody to teach them until they are 10 to 12 weeks old, but I've had some go to the roosts at 5 weeks. I've seen reports on this forum where some chicks take a lot longer.

Something that happens a lot. When I'm integrating chicks or a broody weans hers and quits protecting them on ther roosts, another hen may get so brutal toward them on the roosts that they leave the roosts and find somewhere safer to sleep. I put a separate roost lower than the main roosts and off to the side and higher than the nest boxes to give them a place to go.

Adult full-sized regular chickens have no trouble jumping/flying up to 5 foot high roosts or even higher as long as they have room to spread their wings. I've seen two week old chicks perform amazing flying tricks. It's possible if you have Silkies that can't fly or something unique they may not be able to get to the roosts, but that is really rare.

I don't know enough about your unique circumstances to tell you what is wrong with yours. You may need patience or you may need to change somthing.

Here's what I did for my roosts. It seldom gets colder than a few degrees below zero Fahrenheit so don't have to worry about their toes in cold weather. If it got to 20 or 30 below zero I might have to worry.

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Lots of great details thank you. I have five 2 1/2 week olds and I placed a small roost in the brooder box and they are starting to use it. I have also seen a couple roosting on the edge of the box. I placed a tree branch like yours up higher in the coop for when they are more mature. But I was also thinking of adding a ladder roost as well.

Loving this forum more and more everyday. Thanks everyone!

 

[siddalarue]

Just curious what everyone has for roosts... Some people say something they can wrap their feet around, some say something flat they can lay on like the 4" side of a 2x4 ... Whats everybodys take??

we went with 4" side of 2x4 because i read it allows them to keep their toes warm during the winter being able to lay on them and i also read of mice n rats eating toes and figured why not... Just curious what everyone chose and why?? Because as with anything chicken there are 20 solutions to every problem

20 solutions to every problem is right. Feathered kids!

 

[evsdun]

I have a similar roost that is an old railing from a deck. They use to climb up to the higher roost. They end up in the rafters and seem to prefer the highest point.

Ev