[ChristyRose]

All 6 of my girls pile into 3 nest boxes or sit close to the nest boxes on the coop floor at night.  Shall I just take the roosting bars out and put boxes on the floor for them?  The roosting bars do seem quite high up in their house so maybe they have trouble getting on them.  I've seen a couple of them roost but generally they like to sleep on the floor or in the nest boxes.

[rileyfin]

I have silkies and they do not like to roost on bars so I took them out. I have been keeping silkies for 3 years now and they are quite happy 

[michael85]

Our three hybrids have never used the perch at night, they seem quite happy sat on the floor of the coop.   We also have two Leghorns and they always use it.

If there not an obstruction I'd leave them there in case they decide they want to roost on them

[ANHBUC]

They are better roosting so they are not sat in their own poo. 

Best to try blocking off the nest boxes at night and encourage them to roost.

Check you don't have a redmite problem and check the height of the roost bars against whatever breed you have.

Do you have ventilation above the roost bars, if not this could be the problem.  They will not like hot stale air and it can cause health issues.  Hope you get it sorted.   

[mumsy]

I got a new coop a couple of years ago & the girls wouldn't use the perches, I then realised it was so dark in there that they actually couldn't see them, we set a light up inside & at dusk I turn it on, when I go back to shut them up, they are all on the perches! If I forget to put it on, they sleep on the floor!

[ChristyRose]

Ha I never thought about them not being able to see the perches!!  They are quite high up - will have to measure.  Just went out to check on them and shut them up for the night and two of them were on the perches and others were in the nest boxes and floor.
Cant see any red mite and there are ventilation grids at the top of the house just under the roof.
Just wondered if chickens should naturally want to perch as they do in the wild - in trees etc.  Do they feel safe in the henhouse so dont feel the need to perch up high?

[joyfull]

I have 8 that live in the wild, some high up in cherry trees, some in laurels and some in other hedging. They fly up onto low branches then work their way higher so perhaps your bids need a hand getting up to your perches.

[ehs284]

It isn't always getting up that's a problem. Sometimes they are nervous about getting down, especially if there is a danger of crashing into something such as the wall of the coop. Our Brahmas wouldn't perch and I lowered the bars. Now they go straight to the bars, but, in the morning they spend ages working out whether it's safe to jump and often like to be lifted down ;OK they are unusual monsters with big feet and clumsy but it is only 100mm so I think it is the close wall which upsets them (more modifications coming up). Also check the distance horizontally and vertically between bars as it may be too far or difficult to reach.