Young chickens roosting in the wrong place!

[pdirt]

Yeah, a very nice big coop! It's hard to tell from the photos, but I'm also wondering about ventilation. You should have lots of vents up near the roofline and some near the floor. Aart has some excellent links in her signature line, viewable on the desktop view of BYC, not mobile.

 

[smoon]

Thank you all for the input.

About the ventilation: The coop has one window on the left side that is 3 feet wide by 1 foot tall. I prop it open every morning. Is that enough ventilation or do I still need something in the roof? The picture below shows the window but it is not a very clear picture, I apologize.

 

[pdirt]

Yes, you definitely need more vents!

Check this out for good info: https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

 

[smoon]

You've all been very helpful. Thank you!

 

[Abeldeb]

My birds are now between 13-15 weeks of age and still will not roost, preferring to remain as a huddled mass on the floor in one corner of the coop.  They get up on the roost during the day (as evidenced by them pooping while there), but have not used it to roost at night at all.  Any ideas why or what I might do to spur them into using it like normal chickens?

 

[Abeldeb]

I'm a newby as well. My chickens are about 8 weeks old and they are also huddling in a pile in a nesting box only one is roosting on the bar.

 

[Folly's place]

When raised by a broody hen, they all learn early. When raised in a brooder, it will just take longer. You can try to place some on their roost at night, but as long as even one chick has figured it out, the others will follow eventually. Mary

 

[McKinneyMike]

I'm a newby as well. My chickens are about 8 weeks old and they are also huddling in a pile in a nesting box only one is roosting on the bar.

Mine are now 17 to 19 weeks of age and have just started sleeping on their roost bar. I guess they must have really felt safe on the floor for all that time.

 

[scooter147]

I wouldn't worry about them now. They are young and quite "agile" at a young age and my guess is they are flying down to the top roost (the one you intended to be a roost) when they come down.

I would simply use cup hooks on the back wall and to the underside of the rafter they are roosting on then attach chicken wire, netting, old sheets etc to prevent them from getting to that rafter. The cup hooks simply allow easy removal when you want to knock down cob webs etc. No unscrewing, pulling nails etc., no fuss no mess.