They really aren't

[tarragon]

all that bright, are they? I had no idea moving into the coop was going to be such a series of unfortunate events.

After 2, count 'em, 2 weeks, they have finally figured out how to march up the ramp to the coop at dusk. So, now.....

I've been wondering about the odd placement of the poop in the sleeping quarters. They have a nice, long 2x4 for a roost. Tonight, they went to bed early enough that I could spy through the window and I discovered that they are all attempting to roost on the small kickboard we have placed against the clean out door. It is a 2x4 standing on it's skinny side, directly against the wall. So, they have been sleeping every night with their faces smashed up against the wall, 3" off the floor.

I opened the door and place them all up on the real roost. This of course freaked them out. I opened the door again and placed them on the roost. I closed the door. They jumped down. I opened the door and placed them on the roost. I closed the door. They jumped down. Five times.

Should I remove the kickboard for awhile?

 

[Arielle]

I'm glad mine aren't the only ones not using their roosts!!! Haven't figured out why though. Caught them on the roost a couple times, not recently though. I'm sure there is a reason, I just donnnnn't knnnoow whaaattt ittt iiiisss !!!!!!

 

[cackydoodledoo]

My 8 week olds have been in the outside coop since 5 weeks. I opened the coop door at about 6 weeks. For two weeks they have used it. The last two nights I have been out there after dark and both nights all 11 of them are all cuddled in the corner and I have to herd them back to the coop. How after two weeks do they forget?? Silly birds!

 

[Fritatta]

Quote:
wow that mad me laugh, thank you .............
there must be something that makes them feel they are safer on that kickboard. I'd try to move the real roost around and see what they like best. are your coop walls wire or closed in wood?
Is your 2x4 pressure treated (odor)?

and they can get up to the roost easily enough?

thats all i can think of

 

[galanie]

How important is it that they get on the roost? They'll get on it when they want to. Or maybe there is something about it's placement that they don't like. Give them some time.

I love chickens. They can seem so uncharacteristically smart at times and at other times you wonder how they are even able to breathe for being so stupid.

 

[Capvin]

Mine are 9 weeks old and have been in their coop and run full time for about 4 weeks. It took them a couple of weeks to learn to go up the ramp themselves and I am grateful for that progress. As far as sleeping on their roosts they have not gotten that far. They huddle in a corner like a rugby scrum and sleep like that. When I go out in the mornings to let them out I do notice that they are on the roosts but I think they are just up there waiting for me and they do not sleep on their roosts. I have decided to let them go at their own pace and sleep on the roosts when they are ready.

 

[jeepchick]

Yeah mine don't roost either...have a coop that has the 2-3 month olds in it...2 polish, 2 silkies and a cochin bantam and they almost never sit on the roosts. They sleep litterally in a pile right in front of the door. They pile up at the door to the point that when I opened the door to grab the water the other night they all came tumbling out onto the ground and I had to scoop them all up and put them back to bed lol

 

[hoping4better]

They may not like how high the roost is off the ground, or they may prefer the skinny side. Eventually they'll get to big for where they're roosting and they'll use yours. Give em some time. From my limited experience, training chickens is about two times as difficult as training cats

Good luck

 

[jenanneray]

I have a few ex-battery hens that would rather sleep on the steeply sloped top to the nest boxes than the more-than-plentiful spaced roost. So now they poop in the nest boxes,

and squawk and scream when I try to move them.

 

[colebarnhart]

They're just like kids!!!! At certain times they amaze me with how smart they are and then other times at how dumb they are!!!! But they'll probably figure it out eventually, just give it some time.