Roosting

[JulieP01]

I’ve had my chickens since June at 19 weeks old. They won’t roost at night. They all huddle in a corner on the floor. They’re comfy and happy but shouldn’t they be roosting on a roost or off the floor? Concerned for when winter arrives

 

[CalBickieMomma]

I’ve had my chickens since June at 19 weeks old. They won’t roost at night. They all huddle in a corner on the floor. They’re comfy and happy but shouldn’t they be roosting on a roost or off the floor? Concerned for when winter arrives

My Littles wouldn't roost at first (I put them out into the coop at about 5-6 weeks old). They are roosting now, but it took them a while. At first I just piled them into their brooding bin (one of those large storage bins you can get at Walmart) and had it situated in the middle of the coop, thinking they'd figure it out soon. EVENTUALLY they started roosting, but I had to put them in their bin for about a week or two. Of course, they would fly onto my shoulders when I was in there at night, but yeah, mine took a while to roost. I think I started putting them up on their perches to get them going.

That was because I was going to be gone for a week at an out of town event and I really wanted them putting themselves to bed so my parents wouldn't have to do much to take care of them while I was gone. I also live on the coast of California, so I don't have to worry about winter .

If you don't have too many, maybe you can try setting them onto the roosts when it gets dark so that when they wake up, they are already up there? Maybe that will jump start them into figuring it out. Don't know if this helps, but hope it does!

 

[rosemarythyme]

Manually place them on roosts at night until they figure it out.

 

[pennyJo1960]

It will take a few days of you putting them where they should roost

 

[David61]

My three week old's fight over the highest spot. The water bottle is the highest in the brooder/Dog kennel. I put some short 2x4 together on edge and they roost on it in the brooder. It sits 1 inch above the pine shavings. Half the chicks sleep on it. The others just flop out in the shaving like road kill. They try and fly up to the little pole in the temp pin in the yard. I would sit some treats up on the roost. That will get them up.

 

[ChickNanny13]

You can manually put them up in the evening, or they'll figure it out when they're ready.

 

[aart]

I’ve had my chickens since June at 19 weeks old. They won’t roost at night. They all huddle in a corner on the floor. They’re comfy and happy but shouldn’t they be roosting on a roost or off the floor? Concerned for when winter arrives

Post pics of your coop showing roosts please.

 

[GC-Raptor]

I buy day old chicks and within a week I put a small branch in the brooder. In a week or two. .
When I put them outside at 5 weeks they are roosting. .
I've never bought point of lay, (POL), Pullets. But I would put them on the roosts at dusk after they go in the coop as others have said.
Pullets at 7 months old may take a few days or weeks before they get it. GC