Why won't my chickens use their roosting bar

[Farmer Mike S]

8 months is pretty old. How high is the roost, is there a lower roost or ladder to help them up and what breed are they? All those things make a difference.
I have some roosters that never had access to a roost and at 25 weeks, when given access, are still on the floor after a week with hens roosting.

3 buff orpingtons and 2 speckled sussex. One of each breed uses the roosting bar. It's just one strait 2x4 spanning the whole 4 feet of the coop down the middle, about 2 feet off the ground without pine shavings. The 2 that use it actually cram in near the vent above the door. I don't think the 3 not using it poses any problems, but it does seem a tad bit unusual

 

[GuppyTJ]

3 buff orpingtons and 2 speckled sussex. One of each breed uses the roosting bar. It's just one strait 2x4 spanning the whole 4 feet of the coop down the middle, about 2 feet off the ground without pine shavings. The 2 that use it actually cram in near the vent above the door. I don't think the 3 not using it poses any problems, but it does seem a tad bit unusual

8 months old is pretty old to not be roosting... just sort of strange, i agree. Can you post a picture of what the set up looks like? Is the 2 by 4 set so the 4 side is what they roost on? That's how mine is and all of my chickens started roosting at 10 weeks and have ever since. They piled up together on the floor before that but as one poster said, as soon as one got the idea, they were all roosting within a few days.

Guppy

 

[Farmer Mike S]

8 months old is pretty old to not be roosting... just sort of strange, i agree.  Can you post a picture of what the set up looks like?  Is the 2 by 4 set so the 4 side is what they roost on?  That's how mine is and all of my chickens started roosting at 10 weeks and have ever since.  They piled up together on the floor before that but as one poster said, as soon as one got the idea, they were all roosting within a few days.

Guppy

There's some pictures for you. The two that do roost hang out above the front door there

 

[GuppyTJ]

Looks like a nice set up that chickens would like. I have 3 ideas, just taking a stab at it. I know it's not the biggest deal ever, 3 of the 5 not using the roost but it's sort of fun to try to figure these chickens out.

1. Could they be having a hard time flying up the 2 feet to get to the roost because it's close to the ceiling? When they fly up, do they have enough clearance for their wings? Or maybe the feeder is in the way when they try to open their wings to fly up?
2. Is it hot up on the roost being near the ceiling and in a relatively small space so those that aren't high enough in the pecking order to get a seat by the vent choose the floor? Do you close the door (I think it's the red framed opening on the left in picture #1) at night or is it open/screened shut and if it's open, do those that sleep on the floor sleep near it so they can be closer to the cool air?
3. Are the 2 that use the roost higher in the pecking order. Do the 2 knock the other 3 off the roost? Would you say that the 2 that use the roost sort of hang out together and the 3 that don't sort of hang out together?

Just trying to think like a chicken. There must be some reason the 3 sleep on the floor because chickens really like to sleep in the highest place possible.

In my case, I have an 8 foot long roost that is a 2 x 4 set with the 4" side up. The roost is 4 feet off the ground with steps leading up to it. I have 8 chickens that are about 27 weeks old and 4 of them roost on one end of the roost all crowded together and the other 4 roost on the other end all crowded together. These 2 groups of 4 often act as 2 little sub-flocks during the day. But, every day, they get more and more integrated and just recently, they are all mixed together in a line on the roost as 1 big group of 8. I notice that their integration increases as more of them start laying. I've read that this is the case, that the flock becomes one as they all reach maturity.

Anyway, hope this helps you figure out what those little chicken brains are thinking!
Guppy

 

[Janet Pesaturo]

1. Could they be having a hard time flying up the 2 feet to get to the roost because it's close to the ceiling? When they fly up, do they have enough clearance for their wings? Or maybe the feeder is in the way when they try to open their wings to fly up?
2. Is it hot up on the roost being near the ceiling and in a relatively small space so those that aren't high enough in the pecking order to get a seat by the vent choose the floor? Do you close the door (I think it's the red framed opening on the left in picture #1) at night or is it open/screened shut and if it's open, do those that sleep on the floor sleep near it so they can be closer to the cool air?
3. Are the 2 that use the roost higher in the pecking order. Do the 2 knock the other 3 off the roost? Would you say that the 2 that use the roost sort of hang out together and the 3 that don't sort of hang out together?

All great points. when I looked at the pics I had the same thoughts - roost looks awfully close to ceiling and possibly hard for birds to mount. Also very limited roosting space, which is often okay if all birds get along, but it's good to have more space/variety so submissive birds can roost away from dominant birds. I often visit my birds after they've gone to roost, and have definitely noticed certain individuals avoid each other and certain ones sleep together. Almost like little cliques.

 

[Farmer Mike S]

Looks like a nice set up that chickens would like.  I have 3 ideas, just taking a stab at it.  I know it's not the biggest deal ever, 3 of the 5 not using the roost but it's sort of fun to try to figure these chickens out.

1. Could they be having a hard time flying up the 2 feet to get to the roost because it's close to the ceiling?  When they fly up, do they have enough clearance for their wings?  Or maybe the feeder is in the way when they try to open their wings to fly up?
2. Is it hot up on the roost being near the ceiling and in a relatively small space so those that aren't high enough in the pecking order to get a seat by the vent choose the floor?  Do you close the door (I think it's the red framed opening on the left in picture #1) at night or is it open/screene
d shut and if it's open, do those that sleep on the floor sleep near it so they can be closer to the cool air?
3. Are the 2 that use the roost higher in the pecking order.  Do the 2 knock the other 3 off the roost? Would you say that the 2 that use the roost sort of hang out together and the 3 that don't sort of hang out together?

Just trying to think like a chicken. There must be some reason the 3 sleep on the floor because chickens really like to sleep in the highest place possible.

In my case, I have an 8 foot long roost that is a 2 x 4 set with the 4" side up.  The roost is 4 feet off the ground with steps leading up to it.  I have 8 chickens that are about 27 weeks old and 4 of them roost on one end of the roost all crowded together and the other 4 roost on the other end all crowded together.  These 2 groups of 4 often act as 2 little sub-flocks during the day. But, every day, they get more and more integrated and just recently, they are all mixed together in a line on the roost as 1 big group of 8.  I notice that their integration increases as more of them start laying.  I've read that this is the case, that the flock becomes one as they all reach maturity.

Anyway, hope this helps you figure out what those little chicken brains are thinking!
Guppy

Those are some good points. The feeder wasn't there until a few months after the first two started using it. I actually originally had a broom handle but then I tried a 2x4 and that worked for two.

It's kind of hard to not have it close to the roof because my coops 4x4 and the roof starts 2 feet up and is pitched on a 45 degree angle. That is a good possibility though that it's too close up. And as for the door, what you thought the door is is the door and I used to close it but now I leave it open, and it's a solid door

As an alternative I can probably try a roosting bar inside the run because the run that's built into the coop (I have a second run added on too) is built like a fortress and is roofed so the chickens may enjoy being outside.

 

[GuppyTJ]

Those are some good points. The feeder wasn't there until a few months after the first two started using it. I actually originally had a broom handle but then I tried a 2x4 and that worked for two.

It's kind of hard to not have it close to the roof because my coops 4x4 and the roof starts 2 feet up and is pitched on a 45 degree angle. That is a good possibility though that it's too close up. And as for the door, what you thought the door is is the door and I used to close it but now I leave it open, and it's a solid door

As an alternative I can probably try a roosting bar inside the run because the run that's built into the coop (I have a second run added on too) is built like a fortress and is roofed so the chickens may enjoy being outside.

I know what you mean about the roof height, it is what it is. We all have to work with constraints, whatever they might be and each of us has different constraints because we have different set ups. What I might suggest, if you have the time and haven't tried this already, is to watch them as they get ready to roost for the night. Park out there for a bit as they start going to bed and observe what's going on. This may give you some clues based on their behaviors.

I could be wrong but I think living in PA as you do, that you want them to sleep inside the coop at night as the nights get colder? I was just thinking about your idea to build another roost outside. That's not a bad idea but it might not ideal as it starts getting colder outside.

Anyway... good luck whatever you decide to do! Silly chickens...

Guppy

 

[barngirl567]

Yes, I often check my girls at night, but they're not on their roost. They are almost 2 years old now. It is the highest point in the coop, and the bar is about an inch. Is that wide enough? thanks w

 

[Farmer Mike S]

Yes, I often check my girls at night, but they're not on their roost. They are almost 2 years old now. It is the highest point in the coop, and the bar is about an inch. Is that wide enough? thanks w

It's been over three years since I've had this problem, but haven't had an issue since. Originally I had a small broom handle about 24" off the floor. I changed that to a 2x4, added another roosting bar that's lower (2x4 as well) and removed the waterer hanging from the roof inside. I would assume the 2x4 was the necessary change, because they rarely use the lower one, just jump directly on the higher one, and the waterer is back.

 

[Rural Broody]

I'm so relieved to hear that chickens much older than mine still sleep in a bunch on the floor. My girls are now about 8 weeks old and I finally installed the roosts this past Friday and immediately started teaching them to use it, and nada. Nobody has taken much interest yet. It's only been a few days but I thought they'd be all over it.

My roosts are repurposed tree limbs about 2" at their widest, 7 feet long. There are two of them about 18" apart, and one is lower than the other roost by a few inches too. There is a ladder up to them as they're about 4 1/2 feet off the floor. Great clearance, no obstacles. I suppose they'll just get used to them.