When to make them roost

[gallo pinto]

I have 4 chickens between 12-15 weeks old who still don't roost at night. They go into their coop and huddle (more or less depending on the temperature that night) in the corner on the floor of the coop. They do that on their own around sundown, no coaxing or herding necessary. During the day I've seen them sit on the roosts on the run, and they'll go up on the roost in the coop at times during the day as well, so it isn't like they don't know it's there or find it uncomfortable. They just don't sleep there.
Should I just not worry about it? Should I start putting them on the roost after dark?

 

[SueT]

I'd say leave them be. What harm does it do?

 

[gallo pinto]

I'd say leave them be. What harm does it do?

Well, it's harder to deal with the poop when it's in the back corner instead of the on the poop board, and part of my worries that if they aren't sleeping on the roosts when I stop blocking off the nesting boxes they might start sleeping in there.

 

[SueT]

My 2017 chicks all started roosting at 3 weeks. This years' chicks just started roosting at 10 weeks. I don't think you can force this. Lets see if anyone else has any suggestions.
What breed(s) are yours?

 

[Beer can]

They'll use the roosts when they are ready.
I would keep the nest boxes blocked off until they start laying so they don't start sleeping in the boxes.

 

[bruceha2000]

One option is to put them on the roosts after dark when they can't see well enough to get down.

 

[gallo pinto]

What breed(s) are yours?

Buff Orpingtons and Easter Eggers

 

[aart]

One option is to put them on the roosts after dark when they can't see well enough to get down.

Ditto Dat^^^

Agrees getting them onto the roosts is a good thing to do before onset of lay.....
...and hopefully your roosts are higher than your nests.

 

[bobbi-j]

I don't worry about it. They'll figure it out eventually, mine always have.

 

[Relleoms]

My 7 week old chicks decided the best place to sleep was on the poop board, directly under my one year olds. Yuck! I’ve moved them to the roost every night except one (they went themselves) and they’ve stayed there, but I think the big girls are taunting them. 6 are on one end, 2 on the other, with the little girls in the middle. I’m not sure what I’m doing is right, but I can’t let them get pooped on all night and they don’t appear to have any physical damage from the bigs, so I’ll keep moving them until they go on their own!