Roosting chicks?

[R20]

At what age do chicks starting putting themselves inside to roost? Got (12) 7 week old Barred Rocks. They go in and out all day long, (75 deg and sunny) but don’t go back in coop to roost. They all huddle up on top of one another in a corner of the run. I have to physically put them in the coop and shut the door, as it will get down in the 40’s at night.

 

[Riverbend Farms]

It depends, have you got them acclimated to one and show them how to use it? My hens didn’t start using it until they were about 2, and I raised them from 3 day old chicks.

 

[rosemarythyme]

They need to be shown. I assume you have no adult birds? My chicks roost around 4 weeks by following the adults. Without older birds to show them, you need to keep manually putting them in as you are already doing.

 

[cute chicks here]

At what age do chicks starting putting themselves inside to roost? Got (12) 7 week old Barred Rocks. They go in and out all day long, (75 deg and sunny) but don’t go back in coop to roost. They all huddle up on top of one another in a corner of the run. I have to physically put them in the coop and shut the door, as it will get down in the 40’s at night.

Mine go to the roost at 5 1/2 weeks but their adoptive mom calls them up.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

These are roosting at 4 weeks but its because mamma taught them.

 

[Sussex19]

View attachment 3551590

These are roosting at 4 weeks but its because mamma taught them.

Did that hen hatch out all those chicks!?
I guess she must be glad that dad helps care for them!

 

[rural mouse]

I have 6 chicks being raised by the flock (incubator hatch, tote with "mama hen" heating pad in the coop from day 1). They were getting out of the tote by day 5 and roosting by day 10. At 3 weeks, they were up on the high roost (6 feet) with the adults.

 

[Florida Bullfrog]

Did that hen hatch out all those chicks!?
I guess she must be glad that dad helps care for them!

Yes. Those are all from a single pair mating of her to that rooster. She laid 14 eggs over about a 3 week period and had a 100% hatch and (thus far) survival rate.