When will they use the roost?

[KathyK]

My 11 chickens are 9 weeks old. They have been in the coop/run for over a month. I see them up on the roost sometimes during the day and there is poo up there so I know they can get up on the roost. They sleep on the coop floor or in the nest boxes which are about 8" off of the floor.
I have a pull out poop board under the 2 roosts, which are 2 x 4's, that are 18" apart and about 18" off of the ground. Do you think the poop board is messing them up? It's kind of slick and doesn't have a lip on it. I'd like them to use the roost to keep the coop cleaner.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Pictures would help.

Also, do they have light when it comes time to roost? Sometimes the problem could be that they just can't see the roost well enough to risk a flight up there.

I would also recommend closing off those nest boxes until you need them.

 

[KathyK]

Here is the inside of the coop showing roosts and poop board. The window at the back gets closed at night.

Second photo shows nest boxes and vents that let in some outside light at night? Covered with hardware cloth that you can't see.

Do they need extra light? They go into the coop at dusk and I close the chicken door. They are already piled in a corner before it's even dark outside. They are not piled up because it's cold. It's in the 60's at night.

 

[PunkinPeep]

I think they'll eventually start doing it on their own, but if you don't want to wait, you might put them up there at dusk. They might fly back down, but if you put all of them up there a couple of nights in a row, that might encourage them to do it on their own.

I don't, personally, think that poop board is really the problem. They're just young and still enjoying huddling together for sleep like they've done their whole lives so far. They're cuddle-bugs.

 

[sillybirds]

I'd just give them some time. They'll figure it out. As they get older their instinct to roost on the highest spots should kick in. It doesn't look like there should be any problem with them getting up on the roosts (and the poop on the roosts confirms that they can indeed get up on the roosts). And it looks like there should be enough light for them to find their way up onto the roosts.

I certainly agree with PunkinPeep's advice to close up the nest boxes until they get closer to laying age and figure out the roosts are where they should roost.

 

[KathyK]

Okey dokey. I will close the nest boxes and just wait them out. Thanks for the input.