Roostg for Chicks

epeloquin

Songster
8 Years
Mar 11, 2011
626
25
141
Western Massachusetts
Our chicks arrived today (3 BR, 3 RIR). Our supplier suggested putting a 1/2" dowel in their brooder so they can roost. I am just not sure how high to put it ar when I should expect them to use it. I placed it about 4" off the brooder floor. I don't know if this is too high. I did try placing a couple chicks on the dowel so they might get the idea but they did not like that.
 
I'm brand new to chickens so I don't know if I'm supposed to put roosts in yet or not, but I have a couple in our brooder. I have two large dowl rods that have one end of the ground and one end about 4" up and a bird purch at about 4." My girls are just over two weeks old, and I put the purches in about a week ago. The girls can reach all of the purches. They rarely use them for any length of time, though. I don't think they've figured out what they're for. Maybe in the next week or two.
 
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I use a few pieces of wood (cut from a 3 inch limb) and set it on the floor of the brooder. Sometimes the roost on it, sometimes not. Just make sure the piece is heavy enough so it doesnt move...my ducklings love them!
 
Make sure they do not move or your chicks won't use them.
Mine didn't start showing any real interest until at least 3 weeks, and that was sporadic. They are at 6 weeks now & use them all the time when they're sleeping, only occasionally on the floor.
 
I agree with making it secure. I put one end on the floor of the brooder and the other end 3" - 4" off the floor. Different birds will use different areas of the roost. No need to force them to use it. They will start using it when they are ready.
 
This is what I do:

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It's made out of sticks and some scrap lumber.

At the end of the first week they'll be playing on it. By the end of the second week at least a couple will roost on it for short periods if the temperature isn't very cold. By the end of three weeks more will roost on it. By the time I move them into the grow-out pen between a third and a half will roost at night. The remainder will gradually pick it up until they all do though those last few can sometimes take an annoyingly long time!

I had a batch of about sixty White Leghorns that were entirely roosting at the end of six weeks earlier this year. A similar number of ISA Browns that are now almost ten weeks old only about half of them are roosting and the other half are bound and determined to sleep on the ground every night. Eventually they'll figure it out and take to roosting as well. Usually they pick it faster than this, but I guess there has to be some outliers...
 
It's not necessary, IMO, but it does give them something to play and learn on. So do scraps of whatever, that they can jump on/off, and similar distractions. Can't hurt, I figure.
 
Mine are 2 weeks today (my first) and they LOVE their roosts! I use sticks from outside. The most adventurous one has been up there since she was 6 days old, and all the others have eventually followed. I even have one brave Light Brahma who naps up there! I'm thinking of making them a little jungle gym, because they are getting ROWDY.

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