Roosting dilemma (PIC!)

[comp6512]

Here's the chicken Taj Mahal:

The roosts are 4 feet 6 inches up from the floor, hence the ladder.

We were thinking they would just hop plank to plank on the ladder to reach the roosts, but they are trying to walk up on the ladder.
While they are walking, they are sliding right back because that board is a hardy board and is smooth. Chickens are five weeks old.

Will they learn to hop on the ladder or straight to the roosts or do I need to provide another "step" solution?

Thanks!

 

[M To The Maxx]

Looks great!!!!

 

[Rebel Rooster]

Just add a few more steps to your ladder... They'll be fine! Geat job onthe coop!

 

[teach1rusl]

I couldn't help but LOL!!!

That's exactly what mine were doing!! Sometimes one of them would just by luck catch a "step" and I'd think "She's got it!!" And then she'd procede to try to walk on the board itself and slide back down... I was like, do I need to score the board a little? Do I need to put the steps closer together? As they get bigger, they will learn to use it (of course you need to encourage them, put them on it halfway up, etc). Mine are 7 weeks now, and are doing fine with it. Do make sure your "steps" don't have sharp edges (sand them), and I would position the ladder close to the end point of the roosts, because your chicks have a long way to jump down (and they WILL most likely jump down at this point rather than use the ladder), and the ladder is right there in the middle for them to hit. I'd position it so that they have the most available clear floor space. Good luck!

 

[labhaven]

My roost is about the same height. I built a ladder similar to yours. I think my steps are a little closer together. I put my chickens in their coop at 5 weeks. It took about a week and a half for them to climb the ladder all the way to the top and get up in the roost area. Usually 4-5 of them roost up there and the rest roost on a board on the floor of the coop or cuddle up in the wood shavings. I sure if you give them a little more time they will figure it out. Maybe add some more steps between the ones you already made? Coop looks great!

 

[Sc00ter4900]

Nice set up. My ladies are almost 6 month old and dont need the latter at all any more. I took it out for more room. I have 3 RI REDS 3 plymouth rocks. The coop is 7' by 7' Congrats on your set up. It looks great

Scotty

 

[LynneP]

More rungs on the ladder, definitely. How big are your girls? Thinking the roosts look a big high, but then, I have RIR crosses (sexlinks) and they taught me to keep the roost platform at 2 feet high. Are you getting any drafts from that vent under the roost? Not sure of your climate, I'm in a serious winter zone!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/web/viewblog.php?id=7693-seasonal-concerns

 

[chickenmum]

You could put some duct tape on the roosts....

 

[CityChook]

I'd add some more steps. Particularly because it's slippery. When they get bigger, if they don't need them, they can step over the additional steps or you can remove them.

 

[gsim]

You need twice as many steps at least for their age. Most important, your nests may be too high. Mine are at 24" and my roosts on opposite wall are at 24" and 48". Do not make the nests higher than the roosts. They may lay eggs on the floor. Also, put roosts in at earliest age. I had little 4" tall roost in with my chicks at day 1 and in a week went to 8" tall roosts. They soon learned to hop on to them and it was pretty cute to see a bunch of 20 or more fuzz balls sitting on a roost. Mine do not even use the ladders inside the coop . They just hop up to the nests or to lowest roost, then hop again to highest one for the night. Put golf balls in the nests for decoys. From photo, looks like you are going to have them roosting in their nest boxes because they are so high.