Roosting Question

[Harley Chick]

I added 2 younger pullets to our flock when my original girls were about 10 weeks old. One was 4 weeks old the other a few days later was about 3 weeks old. Fast forward to about a month or so ago, the younger girls were always struggling to get on the roosting bar at night (older ones pecking at them) so I decided to add a second bar hoping this would help with the night squabbles. Just recently I find that the youngest pullet has the whole bar to herself. Not always but seems like more often than not the other pullet is now roosting with the older girls. So here's my question: will the lone chicken be ok warmth wise in the winter if she doesn't have another body to snuggle next to? Should I remove the second bar to force her to roost with everyone? Or am I being an overprotective chicken mom and should just leave it alone?

And sorry if this isn't the right forum to post this question in....

 

[Crazy for Chickens!]

She should be fine. My opinion is, if she gets cold, she will snuggle with the others. If she is with the other pullets, they shouldn't pick her too bad.

 

[Mrs. K]

Cold weather has a way of making all hens a bit more tolerant about who is on the roost.

 

[aart]

will the lone chicken be ok warmth wise in the winter if she doesn't have another body to snuggle next to?

Nope.
I kept a cockerel by himself all winter(and it really gets cold here), he was fine.
You may have more issues with heat in your climate than cold.

 

[Ridgerunner]

To me that sounds like perfectly normal behavior. And i commend you for adding the second roost. That was a great solution. I like it because I've done the same thing for a similar problem to keep them from sleeping in the nests.

Until they mature enough to force their way into the pecking order pullets tend to not roost with more mature hens. Usually that's about the time they start to lay. Not always but usually. It sounds like one of your younger ones is maturing enough to join the older girls. I'd expect the other to join them long before you see any real cold.

I was raised in East Tennessee several decades ago. I saw chickens sleeping in trees when the overnight lows (and occasionally daily highs) were below Zero Fahrenheit. I don't think you have anything to worry about if she does sleep by herself.

 

[Harley Chick]

To me that sounds like perfectly normal behavior. And i commend you for adding the second roost. That was a great solution. I like it because I've done the same thing for a similar problem to keep them from sleeping in the nests.

Until they mature enough to force their way into the pecking order pullets tend to not roost with more mature hens. Usually that's about the time they start to lay. Not always but usually. It sounds like one of your younger ones is maturing enough to join the older girls. I'd expect the other to join them long before you see any real cold.

I was raised in East Tennessee several decades ago. I saw chickens sleeping in trees when the overnight lows (and occasionally daily highs) were below Zero Fahrenheit. I don't think you have anything to worry about if she does sleep by herself.

Thank you so much!!!!!!! It sounds spot on what you described about the younger girls. Out of the 6 ladies I have 5 of them are laying my youngest one is just about there but no eggs yet.