Won't use their roost.

[DaveK88]

My girls will not use their roost. I work nights and when I get home i usually check on them. They are always huddled in the corner on the floor. The roost is high enough off the floor, it's big enough for them to all fit on, and has a ramp for them to get up on. Will this change or have they just become used to sleeping on the floor? I am worried that they will not use the next boxes when the time comes. They are about 14 weeks old and have been living in the coop for 4 weeks now. The only time I have seen them on the roost is when I put them on it.

 

[mommto3kiddos]

I say give them more time.. It took my little banty about 5 weeks to figure out the roost and my other girls were all roosting so she had the "visual"..lol

 

[Carrie Lynn]

What do you use for bedding on your floor?

 

[chicmom]

That is typical behavior of young chickens when they got out to the coop. It can take a while, but they will eventually start to roost. I'm betting they will be roosting soon.

 

[DaveK88]

Quote:
I use pine shavings on the floor.

 

[Carrie Lynn]

Perhaps will the cool spring they were just warmer and more comfortable in shavings.
I bet they will begin to use their roost when the weather warms and they can enjoy more air flow.

 

[greenSearcher]

Does the head hen or rooster if you have one have issues that make the roost impractical? I have one coop, where the chickens are about 8 months old, that do not roost, though I have plenty of roosting space. They sleep on the floor on the shredded paper bedding. The floor is pegboard, which might be cooler than sitting high in the coop. Also the lead rooster has leg problems and doesn't roost. He still maintains his position in the pecking order, but his legs cause him pain, as if he had arthritis. He walks with difficulty on the days my back and legs hurt. I feel so bad for him. I wonder sometimes if the other birds stay on the floor because of that also. I really don't know. I hope that I have a couple of Naked Neck roos in the chicks that I just hatched, so that I can train up a replacement.