Training to roost?

Emily26

Chirping
Apr 12, 2021
91
180
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This may be an obvious question but I'm a newbie. Do you have to train your chickens to roost or do they instinctively do it?

If so, how?
 
Most of the time they instinctively do it. All you have to do to start with is provide them with a roost in their “sleeping area” and they’ll naturally do it most of the time. They roost as a way to keep them safe from predators. Every so often you have a chicken who doesn’t learn how to do it, in that case you just put them on the roost every night until they get up their by them selfs.
 
Some chickens might need to be trained. If they’re introduced to roosting objects as chicks they catch on and do it as adults. But if as chicks they aren’t really exposed to that then it may be confusing for them when in the coop. At least from my experience.

I’ve only had to train one set of chickens to roost. The way I did it was to just put them up there every night and hope they stayed. They liked to sleep piled up in the nest boxes more than on the roost. Even though their roost was higher. But they caught on after a couple nights of putting them on the roost and blocking the boxes off.
 
Kinda depends. Some take to it. Chickens will naturally want to roost in the highest place they can as natural instinct. If they were turned loose in their coop as babies they do tend to want to find it. If they were raised in a brooder for a bit too long you might have to show them. If they were put in with an existing flock the correct way chickens are a monkey see monkey do animal. If put in the flock incorrectly they will stay far away from the existing flock as they are outsiders and roost wherever they see safe leaving the flock to their roost.
Also if you change their coop up since chickens hate change they might have issues finding new roosts. Even if they are right in front of their face. Same with feeders, waterers, or nesting boxes. Chickens like to jump on things but something stupid like putting a stump in their run can make them run and even effect their egg laying for a few days until they get used to it. There is a reason the term being chicken is associated with being scared.
 
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I put a little roost in with my chicks this weekend, they are right around a week old. They were afraid of it the first night and I didn't see them on it the 2nd day but they were playing around it and running under it at least. Then yesterday I saw a few of them jump up on it a few times. I figure it gave them something else to do in their brooder but also got them used to what to do. seems to be working.
 

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