Why won't they sleep where chickens are meant too? Pics att.

[Oz Chook]

Just curious...

I have tried on more occasions than I can count to get my lot to sleep on roosts, and have now given up trying!

They all insist on sleeping snuggled up together on 2 shelves, except for one, that won't even sleep inside! She sleeps outside on the roof!

Molly & Violet always sleep together up top


Miss Frizzle, Ginger, Hazel & Lucy-Two always sleep together down the bottom


And then there's Maggie, who now sleeps outside on the roof (it's got a tarp cover that goes over the whole coup)


Just wondering if anyone out there can enlighten me about this bit of chook behaviour??? I'm in Australia so we are heading into Winter now. Although I'm guessing she would be smart enough to go back inside if she gets cold??

The 2 that sleep together on the top are 8 - 9 months old and the others are going on 6 months old. Still waiting on eggs...

 

[Jashdon]

As far as I can tell, chickens will sleep pretty much anywhere they feel safe. Usually that means as high as they can get. There is a flock down the road that sleeps in some apple trees in the yard. If you think about it, its not all that strange. I mean, our chickens ancestors lived in the jungle and probably slept where they could get a "birds eye view" to watch out for predators.

 

[Pelican49]

Quote:
Perhaps they don't like their roosts? What do you have for roosts?

 

[Oz Chook]

We tried timber and tree branches. The ones we used were the same size that they are happy to use during the day that are outside their house.

This has been a fairly on going saga, I asked on the forum a few months ago for suggestions.

I even went out each night after they went to bed and put them all on the roost and then they would all get off and snuggle up together again.

The roosts were put at the same level where they sleep now so they weren't put into a new area, just put in a row!

They all seem happy, and it does seem sweet that they want to snuggle, I just didn't think chickens were the 'snuggling' kind...

Except for the one who has decided to sleep on the roof of course! Not much snuggling going on there, she's like the guard dog, 'cause where she sleeps, she can watch over the entire back yard!

 

[flip9109]

wait till it gets dark, then put them where you want them to sleep. when it's too dark for them to see well, they will stay where you you put them till morning. Keep doing this every night untill they go there on their own.(it may take a week or so) best of luck

 

[Jolyn]

I'm having this same exact problem.

My nine all cuddle into a nest and sleep there all huddled together. I try to get them on the roosts but they just won't stay.

I'm going to try what flip says to do tonight.