Hen sleeping habits

[nsgibson]

I have two Rhode Island reds, one black Australorp and one light brahma. The reds I have raised from chicks and the other two were recently transplanted. All are same age. Even though my reds are smaller they have higher pecking order. My question is about how they sleep. I have an a-frame tractor with an enclosed roost area over nesting boxes on one end of the coop. My reds have always slept in the roost but the new birds typically don't. They will typically sleep on the ground even though they go in an out of the roost during the day, and all hens lay in the roost despite my trying everything to get them to lay in the nesting boxes. There is plenty of room in the roost for all four.
Could the pecking order be driving this sleeping behavior? Or, the fact that they are only two weeks into the transplant?Complicating this is that there is a light on the outer part of the coop for warmth/light (I'm in cincinnati)...could they just be sleeping under the light on purpose? Thanks!

 

[aart]

Yes, to pecking order on roost.
How long is roost?

Why are you using a light, what kind of light?

 

[azygous]

A photo would be of help in allowing us to see what problems there may be, if any.

I have three different groups in two coops. There are always conflicts at roosting time, and two of my hens have taken to sleeping on the floor under the nest boxes. But they're both heavy breeds so they are being lazy mostly, not wanting to jump onto the perch.

I've stapled heavy curtains to the ceiling over all the perches at intervals so that there are barriers on the perch to separate squabbling hens. This has proven to be the best thing I've ever done to my coops. It really levels out the pecking order.

 

[nsgibson]

I am using a 40w incandescent in the run, not the roost, for light to maintain egg production and to take the edge off the cold in sub freezing temps. I am welcome to suggestions of what I may be doing wrong! Thanks

 

[aart]

Light for winter laying should be in area where they roost, eat and drink.
40 watt should be enough for that, but it won't do anything for heat...but heat is not really needed.

A pic of your coop and roost would help us help you.
Putting your location in your profile also helps.