To roost or not

[Ridgerunner]

My pullets tend to not roost with the adults until they mature enough to force their way into the pecking order, typically about the time they start to lay. Until then they sleep somewhere else. I don't care where they sleep as long as it is somewhere predator safe and not in my nests. I don't play with lights, I don't play with food or water. I just let them work it out on their terms. They do.

 

[aart]

Reminds me of when I had 3 age groups.
The olders would come in first...eat/drink/chase the youngers out of coop, then go to roost.
Then the middle aged group would come in and do the same.
Finally the youngest group would come in and do their thing.
I sat and watched this for a few nights in a row, it was fascinating.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

We kinda did the same only in reverse...the bigs were always going in first and the littles had to run the gauntlet to get in and try to keep their feathers. So we switched it up..I would lead the bigs away from the coop with scratch then heard the littles in the coop run and close the gate. Just before the automatic door would close I would let the bigs in the coop run which gave all the littles time to roost and all was good. Recently though the bigs have been harassing the littles on the roost and as I watched several times the harrassment continued until the light in the coop went out. So the SMART guy I am changed the timer on the light to go off sooner that worked I think for a couple days but now realized that the bigs are not going to roost after the light goes off. Not sure if I should be concerned about it or not.

 

[aart]

We kinda did the same only in reverse

I did nothing to 'control' this....it was the natural pecking order in action....I only observed.

 

[Ridgerunner]

the bigs have been harassing the littles on the roost and as I watched several times the harrassment continued until the light in the coop went out.

That's why my immature chickens tend to not sleep on the main roosts with the adults. I've seen a hen leave her normal roosting spot by the window and go all the way into the back corner to peck and bully younger chicks that a broody hen had recently weaned. Those chicks were fine on the main roosts as long as the broody hen protected them, but when she weaned them it was a different story. They quit roosting up there and slept somewhere else. My brooder-raised chicks hardly ever even try to roost up there until they mature.

but now realized that the bigs are not going to roost after the light goes off. Not sure if I should be concerned about it or not

As I said above, I don't care where they sleep as long as it is not the nests and is predator safe. In my case it's the immature ones that don't sleep up there. I let them work it out naturally according to the pecking order. With the days starting to get shorter in a few days it would be way too much work for me to try to manage it for the young to roost. I just don't see how you can time it that closely.

 

[aart]

Those chicks were fine on the main roosts as long as the broody hen protected them, but when she weaned them it was a different story.

I almost think that broody chicks have a harder time than bator chicks.
Once that protection is gone they are just lost.

My brooder-raised chicks hardly ever even try to roost up there until they mature.

Had one group of chicks that roosted on the main roost at 6 weeks.
Was at the far end, but still... I was flabbergasted.

 

[David61]

Reminds me of when I had 3 age groups.
The olders would come in first...eat/drink/chase the youngers out of coop, then go to roost.
Then the middle aged group would come in and do the same.
Finally the youngest group would come in and do their thing.
I sat and watched this for a few nights in a row, it was fascinating.

Fascinating? You didn't go to high school did you.

 

[jreardon1918]

I would make sure there is plenty of roost space. Turn off the light. That is my two cents, YMMV

 

[aart]

Fascinating? You didn't go to high school did you.

What an odd comment.

 

[City Farmer Jim]

Me thinks that HE didn't attend any kind of school....home school maybe.