What can I do if......

[Chicken0Boy]

What can I do to make my chickens sleep on the roost! Its plenty big for them, and they are not using their nest boxes either. They are laying them on the floor in a corner and on the opposite corner they all huddle up tp sleep! Im stumped on what to do. Any ideas?

P.S. We think there 5 hens and 1 rooster. They are all 6 1/2 months old!

 

[Katy]

What are you using as a roost? If they've never had access to a roost before sometimes it take a while before they'll use it.

 

[mulewagon]

I had to teach mine to roost - they wanted to stay in their cozy pile on the floor. I picked them up every night and set them on the roost until they learned. It might be that hatchery chicks have this problem, with no Mom to set them an example...

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Katy- I am using a big stick from a tree we cut down.

Mulewagon- They are hatchery chicks...so I should try to sit all of them on the roost every night? Then just see what happens?

What about the nesting boxes? Any ideas?

 

[tuesdays chicks]

is it round they don't like round roost's to sleep on they should have a 2x4 unless they are bantams then a 2x2 will do, I learned this when I tried using bamboo poles it was ok for day time but at night they didn't want to roost on it.
and have you put golfballs in your nest or something resembling an egg that will give them the idea. and you can try making the nest boxes darker.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Quote:
That might be why! The roost is round and all the eggs seems to come out in the same spot aftyer on is layed! I will try all this tomorrow and see if I get some results.

 

[Judy]

What breeds do you have? Silkies often don't roost or only on a low roost; large fowl usually do.

 

[Chicken0Boy]

Quote:
They are all bantams.... 1 cochin rooster, 2 cochin frizzle hens, and 3 silkie hens. I expected that of my silkies, but i though the cochins might roost.

 

[magicpigeon]

I try multiple level to see which one they like the best

One of my roos found an old abandned terracotta pot and decided to sleep in that instead

 

[Chocobroc]

I just posted this same problem. Mine love the floor of their coop. I decided to reposition one of their roosts a little lower and this morning it was obvious they were on it (poop marks on it that were not there earlier). I don't think this means they will stay off the ground completely because they like it, but I know they are using the roost. When I went to close their coop door tonight, once again they were huddled together on the floor of their coop by the door. I think they will get up on the roost when I don't see it.

Don't worry about it too much. I decided that as long as they seem happy and healthy, where they sleep is just personal preference.

Good luck.