When will my chicks start to roost?

[BarkerChickens]

We have 49 chicks (8 weeks old) outside in the coop. Everything is fine (with exception of a cross beak, which will soon make our flock 48). But, come night time, my salmon faverolle cockerel roosts on the very top rung. The rest of the chicks, bunch up in a corner outside (next to the coop door ramp!) and cry loudly until we pick up each one and put them in the coop.

They were locked in their coop initially and go in their during the day to eat, etc, so they know where it is. Once we get them in there, they all (minus my roosting cockerel of course) bunch up on the floor. It's not cold and they have been without a "night light" for about 2 weeks now. They roost on stuff outside and climb on the roosts inside during the day, at night...pile up on the floor.

How can I get them to go into their coop at night? And when will they start roosting to sleep?

 

[mfsakc]

Once I put my chics out - they were 5 weeks old, it took about 3 nights of us putting them in the coop until they figured it out. It was a couple more weeks until they figured out the roosts.

Chickens are curious creatures and will eventually get curious about the roost and figure it out. I would just be a bit more patient - they'll figure it out!

 

[columbiacritter]

I put sticks to roost on from day 1 in my brooder so by the time they are put out in the coop they know what to do. I've never had a problem once they figure out to go in on their own, they roost properly.

 

[JReedy72]

As I stated in another post, I am having a similar problem. I have a nice pole - about 1.5" wide - on the inide of the coop, and they just bunch up on the floor next to the door. The floor has a hole where the ramp goes into...they just hang out in front of the hole, between that and the door. They are about 10 weeks old. Anyway, I hope the start using it. If not I may need to replace it with a something flatter wider. Ideas??????

Thanks,

Jason

 

[JakRat]

Mine are silly... I was cleaning out their pen last night and put them in a plastic bin. They ALL jumped on the rim and roosted... I have never seen this before!!! I am not sure if it had to do with the width or the height, but they seemed to eventually all get it... They seem to be very monkey see monkey do!!!

 

[mfsakc]

We hung 2 x 4s and sort of rounded the edges for them. They seem to like them. We hung two and laddered them. They roost on the highest one.

 

[BarkerChickens]

Quote:
I wish ours would "monkey see, monkey do" what the little roo is doing!

They have 2x4 (4" on top) roosts that they hang out on all the time...just not sleep. They had roosts in the brooder and slept on them. Heck, they even roost on my arms and shoulders when given the chance! Maybe they are still being scaredy-cats with the no light thing.

 

[Isaacman]

i notice no one really answered the question?!

i need to know this as well

 

[CANDLE98]

My chickens didn't start roosting until a couple of weeks ago and they are 20 weeks! They piled in the corner of the coop until they were probaby 16 weeks or so. My silkies still sleep in the corner on the floor. I think chickens are not very smart, so any help you can give them, they will appreciate it!

 

[LauraM]

My chickens JUST started roosting and they are 17 weeks old. I thought it would have been way earlier, I showed them how to do it many times. That didn't seem to matter at all. They free range in the yard, but when they nap during the day they still sleep in a pile together. They have even piled against my dog to sleep. There are tons of places to roost in the yard.