1. When do chickens start using a roost? Do they have to be trained? Does it need to be a certain size/distance between perches for bantams?
A roost is something elevated they sleep on at night. A perch is something they play on during the day.
Chicks might perch at an extremely young age, practically any time after they dry off. Some are earlier than others. Some of it depends on what is available and other conditions.
I’ve seen broodies take chicks to the roosts earlier than two weeks and I’ve seen some wait until they are 4 weeks old. Broodies do train them.
I’ve had brooder raised chicks start roosting on their own at 5 weeks and some wait longer than 12 weeks. Some people on this forum say it sometimes takes theirs much longer than that. Some say theirs never learn on their own. So it varies, depending on the chickens and the conditions.
Until they start roosting, they tend to sleep in a pile on the floor. That’s how a broody normally keeps them until they start to roost. They seem to enjoy each other’s company.
2. What type of feeder/waterer do you prefer in your coop? Do hanging ones work OK? I don't have space for the waterer using nipples.
We use so many different kinds of feeders and waterers it’s not even funny. If you use some type of automatic feeder it can make a difference if you feed mash, crumbles, or pellets. If you feed by hand, it is much more just a personal preference. One trick to keeping them cleaner is that they need to be elevated to the height of the smallest chicken’s back. That helps keep them from scratching stuff in it.
I generally hang my feeders. I take a 2 gallon plastic bucket you can usually get for free at a deli or bakery, cut holes maybe 2-1/2” diameter around the sides, and hang it from a rope. It’s easy to adjust the height. That does not mean this is the best way or the only way. It means I’m cheap. Free is good.
I usually don’t hang the waterers. I’ve tried the same thing as the feeders for water and it can work, but they tend to rock in the wind or when the chickens are drinking they’ll knock them around. Water tends to spill out. I set my waterers up on pavers or bricks to get them off the ground level. During winter, I just use those black rubber tubs I get at
Tractor Supply. If they are in the sun they stay unfrozen quite well. If they freeze up I just turn them over and kick the ice out or bang them on the ground. They don’t break. During the summer I use something like a white dog bowl to help keep the water cooler.
3. How long should you keep chicks shut up in the coop for them to think it's 'home'? Days? A week? More?
Usually a week is enough for mine.
