When will my chickens adult properly?

[Unobtanium]

I have 40 day old welsummers. They sleep in the dirt in the run. I want them to go into the coop and perch on the roost to sleep. Like proper chickens. When will this begin?

 

[ChickNanny13]

When they're ready Have you kept them in the coop (confided) for a few weeks so they learn where "home" is? I had some chickens that slept on the ground in the shavings until they were about 20wks! They loved going up on the highest roost during the day but at night, no way. So one night I went out & put them up, did that for a few nights before they got the message.

Your's are a bit young yet, how high are the roost?

 

[Unobtanium]

When they're ready Have you kept them in the coop (confided) for a few weeks so they learn where "home" is? I had some chickens that slept on the ground in the shavings until they were about 20wks! They loved going up on the highest roost during the day but at night, no way. So one night I went out & put them up, did that for a few nights before they got the message.

Your's are a bit young yet, how high are the roost?

The roost is about 14" or so. I have placed them on it 2 nights now.

 

[ChickNanny13]

They're just not ready. I had some 10wk old BOs finally get up on their 7" high roost in their brooder. They are now 12wks, play on the high roosts 18' - 36" roosts during the day but still sleep on the ground in the Chicken House. I prefer not to rush them, they'll get up there when ready

 

[Unobtanium]

They're just not ready. I had some 10wk old BOs finally get up on their 7" high roost in their brooder. They are now 12wks, play on the high roosts 18' - 36" roosts during the day but still sleep on the ground in the Chicken House. I prefer not to rush them, they'll get up there when ready

But they will, right? I mean, I'm not ruining them for life by missing some development milestone?

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Mine didn't start roosting until around 12 weeks. Before that, they would still sleep on the ground in a pile. I tried moving them after they fell asleep and they would get right back down. Eventually they just switched to roosting

 

[happyfrenchman]

They are sleeping like proper chickens...... (40 day old chickens)... That is normal for them to clump up for safety and security on the ground.... not a problem as long as they are secured..... They will eventually start to roost.... they are still too young.

 

[rosemarythyme]

There's no magical age where they start to roost. You can keep putting them on the bar if you want, but they'll go up on their own when they want to. My current chicks were on the roost a little after 5 weeks. My previous ones didn't roost until 8 weeks or so.

 

[ChickNanny13]

But they will, right? I mean, I'm not ruining them for life by missing some development milestone?

Promise, you are NOT ruining them ...

 

[Dona Worry]

I put cinder blocks in the coop, side up, to five my chicks a 'baby' roost. They started using that at around 3 weeks, but didn't start using the roosts in the coop until a couple of weeks later. Even then, they would hop onto the cinder block first, then to the lowest roost.
Now they are roosting about 6' off the ground at 9 weeks old.