Silkie Won't Roost Please Help!

[ChattyChickens4Life]

I have an 11-week old silkie. She has many roosts in her coop and run. The height of the roosts ranges from about 8 inches to 3 feet high. She is able to get up on the smallest roosts, but she doesn't seem to get up on the other ones. Her four EE sisters are able to, and leave her behind a lot. I sometimes set her up with her sisters so she can try and learn, but she just freaks out or flies down. Is it normal for her not to be able to get up because she has down and not actual feathers? Thanks for the help!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Silkies aren't always good at roosting especially when younger. Is she your only silkie? That may become a problem down the road, hopefully not. Silkies are often picked on due to their odd behaviors.

 

[nchls school]

I've had many silkies that would not roost, preferring to sleep in a nest box at ground level. The silkies I have now do roost. Each bird is different it seems so, yes, I'd say the behavior is normal.

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

Silkies aren't always good at roosting especially when younger. Is she your only silkie? That may become a problem down the road, hopefully not. Silkies are often picked on due to their odd behaviors.

She is my only silkie, but they were raised together from day 1. There have been no problems so far. I hope it stays this way!

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

I've had many silkies that would not roost, preferring to sleep in a nest box at ground level. The silkies I have now do roost. Each bird is different it seems so, yes, I'd say the behavior is normal.

Ok thank you. The only thing I'm worried about is that she will get cold when winter comes when she is on the ground by herself.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

She is my only silkie, but they were raised together from day 1. There have been no problems so far. I hope it stays this way!

Your birds are still young. If there's going to be problems they generally start after the hens reach sexual maturity and begin laying.

I have had silkies here in central Wisconsin where winter temperatures can fall into the -20's with -40's wind chills and they all did fine being kept in a good insulated coop.

Not every bird gets to buddy up on the roost. If she's your bottom bird she may always sleep alone.

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

Your birds are still young. If there's going to be problems they generally start after the hens reach sexual maturity and begin laying.

I have had silkies here in central Wisconsin where winter temperatures can fall into the -20's with -40's wind chills and they all did fine being kept in a good insulated coop.

Not every bird gets to buddy up on the roost. If she's your bottom bird she may always sleep alone.

Thank you for the information. I will update when they get to laying age. The funny thing is actually, they all seem to be pretty equal in the pecking order. I am with them every day, and I can't see a pecking order. They have a few run-ins with each other every now and then, so maybe they are still working it out. Thanks again!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Baby behaviors are definitely tamer than adult behaviors. Hopefully since they have grown up with her they don't see her as different. It does take a while before you can tell the pecking order.

You never know, she may climb up on the roosts one day too. Many of my chicks will sleep on the floor until almost 4 months. Roosting requires foot strength and good balance, which maybe she hasn't mastered yet.

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

Baby behaviors are definitely tamer than adult behaviors. Hopefully since they have grown up with her they don't see her as different. It does take a while before you can tell the pecking order.

You never know, she may climb up on the roosts one day too. Many of my chicks will sleep on the floor until almost 4 months. Roosting requires foot strength and good balance, which maybe she hasn't mastered yet.

Yep. She is able to get on the roosts in the coop, she just doesn't sleep on them. (But neither do any of the EEs yet lol) I was just asking because we have a large stick nailed to the walls of our run about 3 ft up. Everyone else can climp up, but she can't.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Silkies can't flap fly like other breeds, so anything over 6-12 inches up is going to be challenging. It's best to have a step ladder type of roosts so they can make their way up.