Getting Commercial Layers to roost?

[BarefootMom]

Today we bought 100 12-14 month old Bovan Brown layers. All of their lives they have lived in a commercial chicken barn...so never allowed to roost. Does anyone have any experiences for me? They are all molting right now and look awful- plus the lady we bought them from had only been feeding cracked corn-- nothing else. So they need nutrients. I went and checked on them just a few min ago and they are all huddled by the door on the floor. I know they can fly- I have seen them do it-- I just don't think they know what to do. Also nest boxes--- should they be on the floor ya think?

 

[Macis Papa]

I bought 20 1 year old comercial layers a few years ago. I put an extra rooster I had in with them to help calm them down. After a few days some of them started to roost with him (4 or 5 never did). Most of them figured out the nesting boxes (mine are on the floor) but I had some that would lay all over the place. Great layers though.