[garrybaldi]

Hi, our 3 chooks just don't seem to want to roost at night at all, choosing instead just to huddle down on the floor of their coop. Should I be worried about this? Can it cause any problems or is this just something they have got used to and isn't anything to worry about?

Cheers
Garry

[bamford6]

i breed silkies and all off my birds dint perch so i took them out .so there will be no problem they will keep a lot warmer all the best

[northfifeduckling]

I reckon they are trying to keep warm. when I took a peek into the hen house there were all 5 birds nestling together in one nesting box! Can't blame them...  

[whitby_sam]

None of mine use their bl**dy perches! Even in the summer. They prefer to huddle together 2, sometimes 3 to a nest box. My 15 new girls all huddle together in the (big) nesting box in their run too! The ONLY problem its ever caused me is 1 broken egg and I have to clean the nest boxes more regularly as they tend to poo in them.

[harry]

my silkies wont even go inside, covered in snow and frost, i would pick them up, put them inside but next night they were huddled in the corner outside again, easy prey for rats stoats weasles etc, they all died or were killed, cant remember.

[whitby_sam]

That's sad to hear.

All mine have free run over the fields (just over 2 acres but looking to buy more) but all of them are locked up at night and as extra protection I have 2 guard dogs. Hopefully they'll be enough to put off even the bravest fox (like the one that's fed by the neighbours)

[garrybaldi]

I had the same issue with mine huddling together outside at night rather than use the ladder they have in their run to go up into the enclosed part of their ark. I made the mistake of letting them into the area I had planned for a couple of ducks at the other end of the ark and they have just got so used to that they won't go anywhere else at night. I tried blocking this off and persevering for a couple of nights and moving them when it got dark but didn't have the heart to continue leaving them outside as the nights were getting colder.

[Sylvia]

You may have to put them on the perch for a week or so until they get the idea. Are the perches comfortable? You may prefer to sleep on the floor rather than in an uncomfortable bed!! The perch should be 1in. x 1in.at least and the sharp edges rounded off a bit so that the birds can grip them comfortably. You can shut off the nest box until they get the idea as long as you remember to open it up before dawn.

[harry]

not strictly correct about perch sizes, mine have a huge choice of various sizes of wood and natural branches to perch on, and what do they choose....... STEEL SCAFFOLD POLES.