A while ago we bought a chicken coop for our 5 chickens. We soon found out that it will be too small. We will work on expanding it soon. BUT for the time being, we had another problem to focus on....
Our chickens were sleeping in the nesting boxes!
They have had a habit to huddle together ever since they were tiny, and found a comfy spot in the far nesting boxes, not on the roosts. So, we cut some foam core, and covered up those boxes stat! But did that encourage them to sleep on the roosts? No! They were piling up in the same (covered) corner and fighting for the "best spot" ever night.
After lots of research I found out that this was because our roosts looked like this:
low and not comfy
Basically, these do not serve the purpose of a roost, which is to get the hen (or roo) high up enough to make it feel safe. These roosts were just taking up space, and might as well have not been there at all UNTIL.
We decided to get creative and raise the roosts.
Here are the steps we used to create higher, and more appealing roosts for our girls.
One: We took out the roosts themselves, and measure the wooden piece (shown in picture 2) that was inconveniently glued to the wood.
picture two
Two: Then, we found a piece of wood that was the same width of that slot, and screwed it into the slot. (shown in picture two)
Three: We then repeated steps one and two for the other roost.
Four: Next, we took the actual roost and screwed it to the new, and higher, wood piece. (shown in picture three)
picture three
Five: Then we repeated step four on the other roost.
Six: To secure the other side of the roost, we took off the holder that was drilled and glued to the wall of the coop by unscrewing the screws and using a wood chisel to pry it off of the wall. Then we moved it up so it was level with the other side of the roost, and screwed it back in. If we did not have plans to renovate the coop later, we would have used wood glue on this step, along with the screws. But since the roosts will have to be moved again in the near future, we skipped this step.
Seven: We repeated step six with the other roost.
Eight: We screwed a 90º piece of wood above the right side of the roost so that it would not come off, and would be very secure. (see picture four)
picture four
Nine: We repeated step eight with the other roost.
Ten: Finally, we painted both of the roosts to match the interior white, and to not rot, and we were finished. (shown in picture five)
picture five
Now our chickens use the roosts at night. They are no longer sleeping on the floor, and we can soon open up the nesting boxes once habit is established.
I hope this article helped you!
Mulvah, our Barred Rock, enjoying her new and improved roost.
-Emily
Our chickens were sleeping in the nesting boxes!
They have had a habit to huddle together ever since they were tiny, and found a comfy spot in the far nesting boxes, not on the roosts. So, we cut some foam core, and covered up those boxes stat! But did that encourage them to sleep on the roosts? No! They were piling up in the same (covered) corner and fighting for the "best spot" ever night.
After lots of research I found out that this was because our roosts looked like this:
Basically, these do not serve the purpose of a roost, which is to get the hen (or roo) high up enough to make it feel safe. These roosts were just taking up space, and might as well have not been there at all UNTIL.
We decided to get creative and raise the roosts.
Here are the steps we used to create higher, and more appealing roosts for our girls.
One: We took out the roosts themselves, and measure the wooden piece (shown in picture 2) that was inconveniently glued to the wood.
Two: Then, we found a piece of wood that was the same width of that slot, and screwed it into the slot. (shown in picture two)
Three: We then repeated steps one and two for the other roost.
Four: Next, we took the actual roost and screwed it to the new, and higher, wood piece. (shown in picture three)
Five: Then we repeated step four on the other roost.
Six: To secure the other side of the roost, we took off the holder that was drilled and glued to the wall of the coop by unscrewing the screws and using a wood chisel to pry it off of the wall. Then we moved it up so it was level with the other side of the roost, and screwed it back in. If we did not have plans to renovate the coop later, we would have used wood glue on this step, along with the screws. But since the roosts will have to be moved again in the near future, we skipped this step.
Seven: We repeated step six with the other roost.
Eight: We screwed a 90º piece of wood above the right side of the roost so that it would not come off, and would be very secure. (see picture four)
Nine: We repeated step eight with the other roost.
Ten: Finally, we painted both of the roosts to match the interior white, and to not rot, and we were finished. (shown in picture five)
Now our chickens use the roosts at night. They are no longer sleeping on the floor, and we can soon open up the nesting boxes once habit is established.
I hope this article helped you!
-Emily
