[gracie]

All 4 of my girls have always slept on the same roost bar, they have 3 in their coop. In the last week we have noticed that one of the buffs is staying on the rungs on the floor. She is now 18 weeks and getting a big fluffy girl.
My dilemma is, is she doing this because she is getting a bit big to fly up in such a small space or is there genuinely not enough room for her to get up if she is last one in, as when i look at the others, if there is 2 on a bar, they then over hang it with half their bodies cutting down the space for her to have room to get on the bar.
My husband has said he can move the bar a bit further forward by about 6 or 7 inches which should give her enough room.
My question to you all is, do your buffs go up on roosts or sleep on the floor. Our floor is quite clean as we have bars above a removeable tray so they only walk on that nights droppings if they land on the rungs so its not necessarily unpleasant for them.
I just hate to think of her being stuck on the floor if she cant get up. I must admit i have been lifting her up everynight, but we are away a couple of weekends soon so I wouldnt be there for an odd night or two to do it.

[Helenaj]

How wide are the roosting bars? Orpies need a slightly wider bar as they are so big. A little ramp up to the bars will help as well because with limited space it may simply be there's not enough room for her to jump up And heavier birds can injure themselves by jumping from a perch.
My Orpy cockerel (sadly no longer with us) used to roost on the floor until I put a ramp up for him and then he used to snuggle with his girls. We had to put a support brace under the bar as it used to bend with his added weight!

[gracie]

Thanks for your reply. They all managed to get on one bar last night, so all I can think is she is ok as long as she gets up before the 2 smaller girls. She obviously wants to be up there. I think i will get my husband to move the bars further apart. They are about 12 inches high I guess, quite strong, so think they are ok. Will get on it tomorrow and hopefully she wont get left out again.

[Honeysuckle]

My orpie has a slightly wider perch which is only about 6 inches off the floor. When I shut her away she is roosting on the floor but when she's let out in the morning, she's on the perch! The others (hybrids) follow her lead!