What do I need to do to keep them warm?

[katycouts]

So my chickens have a big outdoor area and a coop area that has their nesting boxes and a roosting ladder. They however never use the ladder in the shed. They sleep outside on the ground all huddled together. Is this normal? Is there anything I can do to keep them warm? They do have hay. Attached is a picture of how they sleep. I should also note I live in TX so it doesn’t get crazy cold here but it’s going down to 40 tonight from 80 this afternoon

 

[3KillerBs]

Welcome to BYC.

How old are your chickens? It's very common for youngsters not yet at Point-of-Lay to sleep in a pile. They usually start to roost by the time they start to lay.

The only things necessary for keeping them warm is to keep them dry and out of the wind. Excellent ventilation is an important part of keeping them dry because a closed coop gets stuffy and soggy from the moisture given off by their breath and their manure.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

 

[katycouts]

Welcome to BYC.

How old are your chickens? It's very common for youngsters not yet at Point-of-Lay to sleep in a pile. They usually start to roost by the time they start to lay.

The only things necessary for keeping them warm is to keep them dry and out of the wind. Excellent ventilation is an important part of keeping them dry because a closed coop gets stuffy and soggy from the moisture given off by their breath and their manure.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/repecka-illustrates-coop-ventilation.77659/

I have 20 and 18 are 7 months and the other two are 6 months. I normally get between 12 to 15 eggs daily so most of them are laying. I have seen one roost outside overnight on a pallet we have set up for them in their outdoor area.

 

[3KillerBs]

I have 20 and 18 are 7 months and the other two are 6 months. I normally get between 12 to 15 eggs daily so most of them are laying. I have seen one roost outside overnight on a pallet we have set up for them in their outdoor area.

You *could* go out and put them on their roosts at night until they get the idea.

Use a red headlamp talk to them calmly while moving them. I have better luck getting moving birds if I get them standing on my wrist like a parrot rather than grasping them around the wings.

To do this, scoop them onto your wrist from behind -- if you push the back of the leg just above the feet they'll automatically step up. Then back them onto the perch the same way.

But wear sleeves because their nails can be sharp and might scratch you if they slip.

 

[Brooks_]

Use a red headlamp talk to them calmly while moving them. I have better luck getting moving birds if I get them standing on my wrist like a parrot rather than grasping them around the wings.

To do this, scoop them onto your wrist from behind -- if you push the back of the leg just above the feet they'll automatically step up. Then back them onto the perch the same way.

I scoop from the front and she kinda hops into position and wrap my other arm around her for stability. Yes, scoop rather than grab.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

It's hard to tell from the one pic but is your set up that the ladder IS the roost? Or do you have actual roost bars?

 

[katycouts]

It's hard to tell from the one pic but is your set up that the ladder IS the roost? Or do you have actual roost bars?

 

[rosemarythyme]

Those dowels/rods look too narrow for roosts. You want somewhere around 2" diameter or more.

Also, what are they made of, pvc? Were they sanded down to provide a rough surface for grip? PVC is too slippery otherwise.

Hard to tell exactly how sloped the entire roost set up is, but the set up might be too vertical to prevent birds on higher rungs from pooping on ones below, though since they're not currently roosting that hasn't been an issue.

As far as the concern with cold, you're in quite a warm climate if 40s is cold. Your birds should be fine without anything extra to provide warmth.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Your nest boxes look great! But I think it's the roosting sitch that is the issue. Can you provide horizontal bars instead of ladder for the type?? Everything looks to narrow to lay on.

 

[WIchickMama]

I agree, if you can offer wider and flat roosting bars it will help as chickens like to lay and cover their feet.

I would also add more bedding to the floor of the coop for a couple reasons- 1. it will help with impact when they get down from their roost and nesting boxes 2. offers another area for them to cuddle into when it is colder and they don't want to be outside.