Should I worry that my hens don't roost?

[TheSpiceGirls]

I have two adult hens who roost in one coop. And then I have 4 14-week old Buff Orpingtons that I raised and integrated w/ the two adults who sleep in a separate coop. They all share a big run, feeders and waterers and get along just fine. But the little ones won't roost. They sleep in the bedding in one big pile. I have lots of branches and 2x4's in the run and they perch on those all day long so they get the concept.

I've read through some other posts about hens that won't roost and it sounds like I should just leave them be and that they will figure it out eventually. Should I encourage them to roost? Go out and put them up on the roost after dark?

I'm curious what the thought is here? I've never had hens that didn't want to roost.

My hope is that once they start laying eggs, that they will lay in the big girls coop and eventually, I can migrate them over to all sleep in the big coop so that I can use my little coop as a maternity ward or time-out space for a naughty hen.

So I'm just wondering if I should try and teach them to roost or just leave them be?

 

[Percheron chick]

No reason to not close off the little coop and get them in with the older hens now. Depending upon the breed you might have some that start laying in 2-3 weeks and better that they are settled in the new coop beforehand. They won't just move to the other coop on their own. You have to force the issue. You will probably have to stuff them through the pop door in the evening for a few nights until they get the message. I don't worry about them sleeping on the ground. Mine have always moved up when they are ready.

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

Okay. Thanks for that.

I did start going out at night about a week ago and putting them on the roost. It's a free standing roost so it's only about 6 inches off the floor of the coop. It's a small, doll house, type coop.

That was working until I cleaned the coop and moved the roost bar. They went back to sleeping on the floor.

It's just nice when they roost. Since I only have 6 hens, I can go out each morning with my kitty litter scoop and bucket and clean up under each hen. That way the coop is relatively clean and smell free while they lay their eggs and I don't have to do a major coop clean out each weekend.

I won't force them to sleep with the big hens until there is a reason to force them to do so. I would be nice if after 9-12 months they want to do this but I won't push it.

 

[Mandy020386]

My chicks did not start to roost until right before they started to lay eggs. Its something they have to learn. They would all get in a corner of the coop together and sleep. Now the only ones I have trouble with are the roosters wanting to sleep in the nesting boxes. If you go out at night and put them on the roost they should learn and catch on pretty quick

 

[TheSpiceGirls]

They are almost 16 weeks and still sleeping in a pile. You can just see that there is a roost bar right next to them and would only take a step to get up onto. But no.

I did go out last night to take this photo and put them up onto that roost bar. But I can tell they got right back off after I left and went back to their pile. Wattles are starting to come in and one has a face that is more red than not so they are maturing. Maybe like the previous poster said, once they start to lay, they will want to roost.