Roost problem?

[Meytchison]

Yesterday afternoon when I got home from work I went to check on the girls. By the time I get home they are usually roosted or about ready to. They we still out when I got home yesterday and I watched them go into the coop. After a few minutes my NHR Annie came back out. Then she went back in and tried to roost but I saw her through the pop door hit the ground. I didn't think much of it and went back inside. A few hours later I went to check on the coop which I do every night. I shined my flashlight into the coop and there was Annie in the corner on the ground. My other girls were all roosted. With the light on in the coop I watched for a few minutes. Annie attempted to roost a few times but was short, just missing, and hitting the floor. I opened the clean out doors and placed her on the roost where she stayed all night. I guess my question is could something be wrong with her? Maybe she is just getting too fat to get on the roost now? Should I put something in the to help her get on the roost?Am I worrying for no reason?

 

[jtn42248]

Yesterday afternoon when I got home from work I went to check on the girls. By the time I get home they are usually roosted or about ready to. They we still out when I got home yesterday and I watched them go into the coop. After a few minutes my NHR Annie came back out. Then she went back in and tried to roost but I saw her through the pop door hit the ground. I didn't think much of it and went back inside. A few hours later I went to check on the coop which I do every night. I shined my flashlight into the coop and there was Annie in the corner on the ground. My other girls were all roosted. With the light on in the coop I watched for a few minutes. Annie attempted to roost a few times but was short, just missing, and hitting the floor. I opened the clean out doors and placed her on the roost where she stayed all night. I guess my question is could something be wrong with her? Maybe she is just getting too fat to get on the roost now? Should I put something in the to help her get on the roost?Am I worrying for no reason?

Do you have room for a second roost that would be lower but still above the nest boxes and not under the other roost. Perhaps diagonally in a corner.

 

[Meytchison]

Yes I have room. I do have two roosts already but they are the same height. They are only 2 feet off the ground.

 

[jtn42248]

Yes I have room. I do have two roosts already but they are the same height. They are only 2 feet off the ground.

If your existing roosts are only 24 inches off the ground (are they above the top of the nest boxes) and she can't get up there on her own there may indeed be a problem with her weight. How old did you say she was..if you did? You could try putting a little stepped ramp up to one of the roosts but then the other birds may use it and block her access. Keep your eye on her for a few days. Is she walking funny. Does she appear to have injured a wind or have been injured in pecking? The final thing might be that you have to help her up at night when it is cold. Watch the way the other chickens behave toward her also. If she is trying to get up on the roost and failing then hunkering down alone in a corner there may be a pecking order thing afoot.

 

[Meytchison]

She is about 23 weeks. She is my sweetest hen. I don't think its a pecking order thing. She is just not getting up to the roost. I watched her try a few times. She seems to be acting normal and I haven't noticed any injuries. It was pretty cold here yesterday and colder this morning. It was 39 degrees when I got up today. Which is pretty cold for the Tampa/Clearwater area of Florida.

 

[jtn42248]

She is about 23 weeks. She is my sweetest hen. I don't think its a pecking order thing. She is just not getting up to the roost. I watched her try a few times. She seems to be acting normal and I haven't noticed any injuries. It was pretty cold here yesterday and colder this morning. It was 39 degrees when I got up today. Which is pretty cold for the Tampa/Clearwater area of Florida.

It could be due to what to her is colder weather. She certainly is not old as far as chickens go so I doubt it is an age thing. Keep your eye on her (and them) though. Often times what we think of a being sweet is seen by chickens as being docile and submissive. Just watch to make sure she is not being picked on or pushed away from food. Look into putting a ramp up to the roost, maybe two, one for each roost and see if that helps. A simple piece of 1x6 with some strapping across it for traction should do it. Make sure it is fastened good so it can't slip off. And that it is not at too steep an angle for them to use. Let us know how thing progress.

 

[Meytchison]

No she is not the low man on the totem pole. That would be Stacy one of my EEs.