Won't sleep on roosts

[Oz Chook]

Not quite sure what topic this belongs under so please forgive...

I've got 7 hens, ranging from 4 to 7 months old. None of them will sleep on roosts, only on shelves with pine shavings. How can I encourage them to sleep on the roosts?

Should I literally put them on there myself to show them that's what they're for, duh! My husband can't believe I'm writing this!

 

[airmom1c05]

I have a couple of small silkie Serama bantams that wanted to sleep in the shavings on the coop floor in a corner. I did exactly what you asked. I placed them on their roost (about 2 ft. off the floor) for a couple of nights, then they got up there all by themselves! Best wishes!

 

[Oz Chook]

I don't feel so silly now!

One of the younger ones is a Silkie Bantum (I actually never realised how much I'd love Silkie's until I got her, she won't be the last!)

I'm on night shift tonight, so when I come home I'll go out and pop them all on the roost and see how they go, wish me luck. I just presumed it was a natural thing that they would all know where to sleep...

 

[airmom1c05]

I hope it works for you, too! But, I understand that silkies have a bit more trouble seeing, so hopefully someone with silkies will respond. Mine don't have feathers blocking their view; they are just very small. They have a bit more Serama characteristics than silkie.

Best wishes, anyway.

 

[Oz Chook]

They were not happy! They flapped and carried on and you would have thought that I was trying to get them to sleep on a bed of nails!

Then I when I finallly thought I was getting somewhere and I'd get a couple on then one would jump off, so I'd get that one back on, then another one would jump off and so on... All this at 1am after work!! It was hilarious!!

In the end, they went back to their shelf. At the moment the roost is not a permanent fixture and if they are all going to adamently refuse to use it, is it really necessary to put it in there?

They all snuggle up together when they sleep, I guess they can't do that on a roost.