When 5 of your 19 chickens aren't roosting ?!?!

[chickmomma18]

My chickens are- 4 months old.
Everyone is roosting except 5 of them. I have a "runt" who is half of everyone else's size. I think all 5 are at the bottom of the "pecking order" but I have 3 different heights of roosts. (2 roosts for each height)
Tonight I put all 5 on the bottom roost and closed the coop and watched through the window. 4 of them got comfy but when the runt tries to get comfy-one of the other chickens knocked her off the roost. So I put her back up with the next smallest chicken, she decided on her own she wouldn't stay on the roost. So she's essentially sleeping alone on the floor tonight.
Anyway, my question is-did I mess up?

 

[evemfoster]

My chickens are- 4 months old.
Everyone is roosting except 5 of them. I have a "runt" who is half of everyone else's size. I think all 5 are at the bottom of the "pecking order" but I have 3 different heights of roosts. (2 roosts for each height)
Tonight I put all 5 on the bottom roost and closed the coop and watched through the window. 4 of them got comfy but when the runt tries to get comfy-one of the other chickens knocked her off the roost. So I put her back up with the next smallest chicken, she decided on her own she wouldn't stay on the roost. So she's essentially sleeping alone on the floor tonight.
Anyway, my question is-did I mess up?

No not at all. Chickens can be funny that way. If your little hen doesn't eventually find a roosting spot she may accept one by herself if its a little lower than the other roosts.

 

[chickmomma18]

Thank you. I actually went back in with a flashlight because I was obsessing about her being cold, lonely or depressed. (Omg I am the crazy chicken lady!!)
Turns out...she found her own way back to the roost and was snuggling with the other 4.
Lol

 

[aart]

Yeah, just let them figure it out....mine still have a bit of a peck and shove fest at roost time.
Sometimes it gets rather raucous.

The pecking order is an ongoing and ever changing thing,
trying to control it will drive you nuts...and you shouldn't anyway, let them figure it out, they will.

 

[chickmomma18]

Just to be clear, no one is trying to control the pecking order-I'm in the process of roost training.
Thank you everyone.