Nesting Boxes

[aart]

Do you think just curtains would be enough to keep them out? And my grandma has a lot of bamboo she just thinned out- would they use that if I went from one side all the way to the other, and higher than the nesting boxes?

I doubt curtains would work, but it might if cloth were flat and close to openings(no ruffles or pleats) and removed when nest are 'open'. Maybe a rod thru top of curtain(sewn 'sleeve') and bottom. Pieces of bamboo might work for rods. Could cover all three nests at once, top rod could hang on a couple nails.

Bamboo for roost would have to be about 3" in diameter, maybe bigger depending on span it has to go across. Make sure you remove any sharp bits from branches and might be good to sand surface with rough sand paper so it's not so slippery.

 

[MissChick@dee]

They don’t lay at night. I WISH I had a ladder roost. My setup is a bit different. Chickens have instincts naturally. They LIKE to roost up high. BUT don’t put them so high that you risk a leg injury.

 

[MissChick@dee]

Hens POOP a lot during the night. You don’t want poopy covered eggs. It’s very hard to unbreak the habit of sleeping in the box. When they get used to roosting on a perch and get older more likely than not they will use the boxes just to lay. One thing I’ve found useful is to use 2x4’s for roosts and I put them with the 4” side up so it’s wide. Then they can lay on their feet and keep them warm in the winter. For now I’d close them off (just a board will do)

 

[MissChick@dee]

BTW...the leg injuries I was talking about is when they jump down. Sorry

 

[MissChick@dee]

It’s just a personal thing with me. I don’t like thin or small perches. You know when they wobble back and forth just trying to hang on. The smallest I will use is a 4” dowel. The fun part is making your coop your own. You’ll change a re-do as you go. FUN FUN FUN

 

[DobieLover]

Hens POOP a lot during the night. You don’t want poopy covered eggs. It’s very hard to unbreak the habit of sleeping in the box. When they get used to roosting on a perch and get older more likely than not they will use the boxes just to lay. One thing I’ve found useful is to use 2x4’s for roosts and I put them with the 4” side up so it’s wide. Then they can lay on their feet and keep them warm in the winter. For now I’d close them off (just a board will do)

When I moved my chicks to their coop/run at 5.5 weeks old, they started to huddle in one nest box at night... all 11 of them! They soon grew too big and spread out into 2 boxes. By the time they were 10 weeks old, I put a stop to sleeping in the nest boxes by screwing a board across the opening. Now everyone sleeps on the roost.
I have just one long roost that is about 22" above the litter. My coop is not a walk-in style. As mentioned by MissChick, I used a 2x4 for my roost but we did chamfer the corners and sand it smooth to avoid foot injury before installing "plate stlye" (3.5" roosting surface).
I will be removing the board this week and installing nest box curtains for privacy as they will be 15 weeks old on Monday and should start laying soon.

 

[townchicks]

You could simply lower the nest boxes to ground level, so they are more attracted to the higher roosts. Also chickens like to huddle together on the roost, the ladder may not allow them to be all together as much as they would like. Perhaps a longer roost would be preferred.

 

[aart]

They don’t lay at night. I WISH I had a ladder roost. My setup is a bit different. Chickens have instincts naturally. They LIKE to roost up high. BUT don’t put them so high that you risk a leg injury.

Hens POOP a lot during the night. You don’t want poopy covered eggs. It’s very hard to unbreak the habit of sleeping in the box. When they get used to roosting on a perch and get older more likely than not they will use the boxes just to lay. One thing I’ve found useful is to use 2x4’s for roosts and I put them with the 4” side up so it’s wide. Then they can lay on their feet and keep them warm in the winter. For now I’d close them off (just a board will do)

BTW...the leg injuries I was talking about is when they jump down. Sorry

It’s just a personal thing with me. I don’t like thin or small perches. You know when they wobble back and forth just trying to hang on. The smallest I will use is a 4” dowel. The fun part is making your coop your own. You’ll change a re-do as you go. FUN FUN FUN

You could put all your thoughts all in one post...we're not 'texting' here...and there is an edit feature.

 

[MissChick@dee]

*sometimes we need to see people doing the best they can with what they’ve got*

 

[Kelsbug7]

I don’t mind the multiple messages, just appreciate the advice. Trying to figure out my hens desires and get ideas. I’ll lower the nesting boxes, but a hinged “door” on them for night, and put a thick bamboo roost up higher with some lower ones for them to play on. I’ll let y’all know how it goes. I love my babies.