roost???

[blueheaven]

do all the chickens roost at night?
do i need a roost place for ALL of them???
or do some sleep on the floor/nest boxes, etc.

 

[mamaKate]

There should be roost space for all of them. Some may choose not to use it, but they should have the option. Silkies often prefer to pile up on the floor. Most chickens want to roost.

 

[pkeeler]

1' of roost space per chicken is a good rule of thumb. They will most likely use it. If they don't, you will want them to. Much better to be up off the floor and out of the nest boxes.

 

[patandchickens]

Yeah, if some of them are *not* sleeping on the roosts (other than silkies), you want to figure out why and fix it.

Much more hygeinic on roosts, also safer from predators, and mostly it is just the basic nature of chickens to want to sit on something elevated so if they are not doing it then something is wrong.

I agree that providing a foot of roost per chicken is a good situation -- it allows them a little leeway to sort out social issues. Even more is even better, though unless you have major incompatability in your flock the extra may not get used much.

Mind, you do often have to train them to roost -- go in there at (or just after) dusk, and pick up any stragglers and PUT them on the roost. They will 95% of the time stay there, and after a day or few days of waking up there, they'll start putting themselves to roost.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat