roosting

[Nuggethead]

We have 9 bantams, 3 silkies, 3ee's, and 3 mille fleures! They are very healthy thin birds! Have been in their coop 3 weeks and still won't roost! They prefer sleeping in a clump together! Is this bad! We live in SC, so it is not cold!

 

[Nuggethead]

Young, not thin

 

[Hholly]

I don't know if it's bad or not. But if you want them to roost maybe they need something to hop on to get up there or a ladder. How tall is your roost? What is it made of?

i have a wooden box that my birds hop on, then they hop on the lower roost, then to the top. The roost is made of 2x3s.
My birds hopped on it the first evening I put it in the coop.

Some people place their birds on the roost to teach them.

 

[Nuggethead]

Great idea! I think my son in law used dowels!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC! I'm glad you joined us!

 

[trailrider330]

Welcome to the BYC flock! We are glad you joined us!

How young are your birds? They might just need a little more time (age) before they start roosting on a regular basis. Just make sure they can have access to the roost via a ladder, or something else they can step up on, and make sure they have enough room to jump down safely without crashing into anything.

 

[loujeany]

I put my birds out in the coop at about 8 or 9 weeks. My coop is 2 feet off the ground and inside I have a poop tray that is 18 inches off the floor the roost is about 2 feet off the floor. The chickens all fought for position in the corner of the coop on the floor for about 2 weeks. Then one day one of the birds slept on the roost while the others all slept in the corner. Then the next day they were all on the roost. They will get there when they are ready. Another thing you will find if you read on this site is that dowels are not the preferred roost. Most people use 2x3 or 2x4 with the wide side flat. Chickens don't wrap their feet around the roost like birds. They like to sit flat then sit on their feet. Not that important in SC since it ain't cold but most places they like to cover their feet with their body.

Welcome and enjoy your chickens

 

[drumstick diva]

Silkies are not good fliers - they can jump high when they feel like it. They tend to sleep piled up on the floor in a corner. The other bantams may not want to fly high to get to a roost. How high is it off the ground? steep ramps may be too much for some birds also