Chickens not using coop to roost at night.

[aart]

I'm not so sure it a height issue.

I don't think it is either, I wouldn't bother changing them.
Making them 2x4 wide side up might help tho.

 

[jreardon1918]

I too doubt the height is an issue. A couple years ago I had one really big hen. I placed a couple 16" logs in the coop close to the roosts. Occasionally I spot hens jumping to the logs and then on to the roost. I have also seen that in reverse. I think the logs also provide a small amount of clutter in the event of any bullying. The logs in the picture are 16" the roost is 30". The roosts are 2x4 with the wide side up.

 

[Mrs. K]

I don't think you need a ramp or to lower your roosts. Or even add the window, (but today, I wish I had a window -20 and bright sunshine).

If in the daytime they are all over those roosts, they KNOW they are there. My own roosts are closer to 4 feet off the ground with a bench about 2 feet off the ground and all of mine roost.

There is nothing wrong with your set up. They have just got the notion - who knows why. Throw them in there, no need to add water and feed, they don't eat in the dark. Shut the door, and let them out in the morning.

Good grief! This is why they call us crazy chicken people!

Mrs K

 

[rosemarythyme]

the top of the nesting box is 18" off the floor, the lower bar @ 24" and the higher bar is at 36"

IMO that should be fine as long as none of the birds are really huge (some Orps can get pretty hefty). But a 2' high roost is already pretty low.

 

[MMelton67]

5:34 pm. Chickens confined to coop. Bonus 15 minute cardio session catching them.

lol

I did add a lower roost, flat side up, and screwed another 2x4 on top of the uppermost roost...2x4's and screws I have.

Thanks again, everyone, for the input!

 

[Mrs. K]

I do hope you keep posting, you have very experienced people on here at Witts' end. It will be interesting what actually works.

 

[MMelton67]

I do hope you keep posting, you have very experienced people on here at Witts' end. It will be interesting what actually works.

I intend to. They obviously roosted on all 3 bars based on droppings. I let them out at 7:45am. We'll gather them for the next 3 days and then see what they do on the 4th when it warms up to 30's/20's.

Just rounded them up for the day, it never got above 10 today. 7 this morning, 9 now.
Chickens seem fine. 11 eggs today, a new high out of these 13 hens, fwiw.

We'll have to do a mid day gathering while it's this cold, there were no eggs at 7:45. But, one is frozen and cracked open the shell.

 

[MMelton67]

@Mrs. K I think you get the solve. We had not forced them into the new, bigger coop because when we moved them from the small brooding cages to what we are now referring to as the brooding coop, they needed no adjustment and immediately roosted day and night in it w/o issue and started laying in the nest boxes there.

They were all roosting on the upper bars again this morning when I let them out. They all basically came inside when I started refilling water and feed. No cardio today.

 

[Mrs. K]

Haha, crazy chickend

 

[Predoggg]

That sounds good. Now do you have to go to the gym for the cardio lol.