Pullets not using roost bars

[Fetz]

I do not think this was mentioned yet. #1 - I think they are hot. they need a small fan. Get a thermometer. Remember they are wearing down. #2 can all of them get up there? It looks a little steep. How wide is it? I'm sure there is a measurement for how many on a roost. Also angle the roost so they do not poop on each other. #3 I would go in at night, after dark and move them. It may take a few nights for them to get the hint. Yes they are just being chickens. It doesn't sound like you have any older ones to show them the way. First year is always the hardest. Lots of learning for you and them. Have fun!!

#1 What are you seeing that makes you think they're hot? Not disagreeing just trying to understand. To me, bunching up in a corner is a behavior that suggests they'd be cold, not warm. We do have a thermometer in the barn outside of their coop. The barn tends to run a few degrees cooler than outside temps. There is an old box fan in their stall but I haven't felt a need to turn it on yet. Every time we're out there they seem fairly lively.

#2 before we blocked it off, they all managed to fly up to the nesting boxes which are higher than the lowest rung so, I'd say yes. The rungs are 12" apart laterally and 5' wide, with 4 rungs (lowest rung we expect them not to roost on). We were building it with a max flock of 25 in mind and about 10" of space per bird. Some people above have brought up that 12" of lateral space may be too narrow. We're gonna run with it for now and see what happens.

#3 I've only done that one night and they were back to their usual spot the next night.

 

[gmachicken]

#1 What are you seeing that makes you think they're hot? Not disagreeing just trying to understand. To me, bunching up in a corner is a behavior that suggests they'd be cold, not warm. We do have a thermometer in the barn outside of their coop. The barn tends to run a few degrees cooler than outside temps. There is an old box fan in their stall but I haven't felt a need to turn it on yet. Every time we're out there they seem fairly lively.

#2 before we blocked it off, they all managed to fly up to the nesting boxes which are higher than the lowest rung so, I'd say yes. The rungs are 12" apart laterally and 5' wide, with 4 rungs (lowest rung we expect them not to roost on). We were building it with a max flock of 25 in mind and about 10" of space per bird. Some people above have brought up that 12" of lateral space may be too narrow. We're gonna run with it for now and see what happens.

#3 I've only done that one night and they were back to their usual spot the next night.

My reason for the to hot comment is, and I may have misread your original comment, that the night time temp was 70's? That equates to me that the daytime temps are much higher. Are they free ranged or have a large run? All you can do is trial and error. This is how I learned plus this site and their articles are very helpful. Good luck and have fun.

 

[Love Donkeys]

Their instinct is to get under the hens feathers for safety and warmth. There is no mother hen to snuggle with they will use each other. They are young they will learn on their own.

 

[CCRRED]

From what I have seen in the picture is that you are using boards as roosts which is not comfortable for them. I would suggest using wooden dowels or smoothing off the edges of 2x2 to make it more comfortable. I use 2x2 with the edges smoothed out. When my first pullets 3 years ago laid by the coop door for the first week and a half until they used the roosts I mentioned to you.

I used 2''x3'' boards from HD. The bigger girls took the new roosts and the pullets are using the original 2"x 4". They are doing well and we haven't had to many problems with the "pecking order"

 

[RiDaGeckoGuy]

Takes time I have a hen who struggles learning and likes to sleep on the floor where no one can poop on her and it makes the new chicks in the flock feel more warm and cozy because they can snuggle her

 

[chicken opey]

This is what some of mine still do - sleep on each other - 6 hens!
Almost 4 months old

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Our fourteen chickens are 15-18 weeks old. They use their roosts now and then during the day but at night they still sleep in a big pile in the pine shavings.

They've been together since day 1 and I guess that's just how they're used to sleeping, in a big cuddle puddle. They seem happy so we just let them do their thing.

 

[ArraAchicksMama]

Hi all,

First time chicken owner here. Our chicks are now 5 weeks old. We put them in their coop about 1.5 weeks ago. They all seem very healthy and we haven't had any major issues so far. The coop is a converted barn stall and we built a run off the back.

Our only problem is that all 19 of them cram onto the ledge in front of the pop door to roost at night instead of using the roost bars we made. Before that they were roosting in front of the nest boxes (out of the camera frame). We have seen them on the roost bars from time to time, including the very top bar, but they never stay there long. We put a tarp underneath to catch poop but they're making a huge mess on the ledge every night, which is really the only reason we have an issue with it.

Are they cold? It's been pretty hot the last two weeks but nightly lows have started to dip back down to 60-70⁰F.

Is there something about the roost bars that they don't like? Too steep, to wide, is the tarp an issue?

Or are they just being chickens?

Your roosting bars are too high for them. The bars are too far apart.

 

[The Chicken life chose me]

Hi all,

First time chicken owner here. Our chicks are now 5 weeks old. We put them in their coop about 1.5 weeks ago. They all seem very healthy and we haven't had any major issues so far. The coop is a converted barn stall and we built a run off the back.

Our only problem is that all 19 of them cram onto the ledge in front of the pop door to roost at night instead of using the roost bars we made. Before that they were roosting in front of the nest boxes (out of the camera frame). We have seen them on the roost bars from time to time, including the very top bar, but they never stay there long. We put a tarp underneath to catch poop but they're making a huge mess on the ledge every night, which is really the only reason we have an issue with it.

Are they cold? It's been pretty hot the last two weeks but nightly lows have started to dip back down to 60-70⁰F.

Is there something about the roost bars that they don't like? Too steep, to wide, is the tarp an issue?

Or are they just being chickens?

They are too small to appreciate it right now … wait until they are bigger and they’ll start playing with it more

 

[McChooky]

Hi all,

First time chicken owner here. Our chicks are now 5 weeks old. We put them in their coop about 1.5 weeks ago. They all seem very healthy and we haven't had any major issues so far. The coop is a converted barn stall and we built a run off the back.

Our only problem is that all 19 of them cram onto the ledge in front of the pop door to roost at night instead of using the roost bars we made. Before that they were roosting in front of the nest boxes (out of the camera frame). We have seen them on the roost bars from time to time, including the very top bar, but they never stay there long. We put a tarp underneath to catch poop but they're making a huge mess on the ledge every night, which is really the only reason we have an issue with it.

Are they cold? It's been pretty hot the last two weeks but nightly lows have started to dip back down to 60-70⁰F.

Is there something about the roost bars that they don't like? Too steep, to wide, is the tarp an issue?

Or are they just being chickens?

All my roosting bars are long enough for ALL my chickens to roost side by side at the same height! The only coop that has various levels is my first coop and its very small. My original 4 hens still roost in there on the top bar(it doesn't have room for more chickens on the top bar) None of my chickens use the lower roosting bars.
I use 2 x 3's and 2 x 4's for roosting bars and have poop boards under all of them