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Why won't they roost?? Please help!

Discussion in 'Raising Baby Chicks' started by addicted2chicks, May 16, 2009.

Most Liked Posts
  1. May 16, 2009 #1
    addicted2chicks

    addicted2chicks Songster

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    Mar 19, 2009
    Michigan
    I have been trying to get my chicks to roost at night. When I go to close the coop door at night they are all huddled in a corner. I start to get them one by one on the roost, some fly down as soon as I put them up. Some will stay for a while but eventually as I put a chick up another jumps down. I can't get them all to go to roost. Is there a trick? How do you get them to stay? All my guineas have done it on their own, I never had to teach them it's just the chicks. As you can see by my signature I have alot of chicks and it takes alot of time trying to get them all up.
     

  4. May 16, 2009 #2
    goldnchocolate

    goldnchocolate Songster

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    May 9, 2008
    Massachusetts
    How old are your chicks? My chicks liked to lay in a big pile until they were 3-4 months old and then they began to use the roosts. I think it's just a matter of maturity.
     
  6. May 16, 2009 #3
    addicted2chicks

    addicted2chicks Songster

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    Mar 19, 2009
    Michigan
    Ok, that makes me feel better. They are only about 6-7 weeks old. I thought maybe they didn't like the roost we built so we are planning on building another, but maybe it isn't the roost itself.
     
  8. May 16, 2009 #4
    tygab

    tygab Songster

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    Mar 14, 2008
    MA/NH border
    Last year ours slept on the floor after moving to the coop for maybe a week. I don't remember exactly. Eventually though they did figure out the roosts were a better option. As long as they can get to the roosts, I'd suggest you just give it some time.
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2009
  10. May 16, 2009 #5
    finnleyjo

    finnleyjo In the Brooder

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    Apr 1, 2009
    My girls (8 wks I think) just moved out to their new coop last night. In their brooder box we had a couple of little roosts, and they would spend the night on them. But when my dh went out this morning he said they were all huddled together on the floor.

    It might have been because it was a little cooler in their coop than in the garage, or because they were scared. I'm betting they will start using their roosts again in a week or two once the shock of their new home has worn off.
     
  12. May 16, 2009 #6
    citrusdreams

    citrusdreams Songster

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    May 4, 2009
    My chicks roost in the day and sleep on the ground in a pile of feathers at night. My last hatching did that too. I don't remember when they finally roosted at night, but they will eventually on their own, so don't worry [​IMG]
     
  14. May 16, 2009 #7
    cambriagardener

    cambriagardener Songster

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    Apr 27, 2009
    California Central Coast
    Could they be cold?

    Our six week olds all use their roosts. We started with small 4"logs on the floor of their brooder and they loved them (perching on them in the day and roosting on them at night). I think it made the transition to higher roosts easy. You could try a log first. We shaved off the bottoms to create a flat part so they wouldn't roll. Yours will be up there before you know it! [​IMG]
     

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