‘problem’ with a hen sleeping in nest box.

[Perris]

I don’t agree with leaving the hens to decide in general though. If I hadn't interfered at all I would have 3 hens sleeping outside the run every night. For as long as they lived anyway.

I learned from this that it is possible to break habits I don’t like. But this was more important because I am sure the coop is a lot safer then sleeping in a tree or on top of the run.

I'm with you all the way there I lost my first flock by letting them roost in trees. New or young birds may still try it on, but they come to learn that roosting out of the coop is not an option here.

 

[Shadrach]

Okay. I didn't like her pooping in the nest box and was determined to change her habit. But I did ask what to do because it made no sense anymore. Probably Shad and you are right to leave the politics to the flock in this case.

I make the roost divider. Make a low roost at the entrance of the nest box she prefers and let her be (no more interfering after roost time).

I don’t agree with leaving the hens to decide in general though. If I hadn't interfered at all I would have 3 hens sleeping outside the run every night. For as long as they lived anyway.

I learned from this that it is possible to break habits I don’t like. But this was more important because I am sure the coop is a lot safer then sleeping in a tree or on top of the run.

I used to let some roost in the trees. I may have been lucky, I didn't lose one.
I much prefer to have them use the coops. It took a while but they all use the coops now.
They follow the seniors basically.

 

[BDutch]

How long is this roost she's not allowed to sleep on....and how many other birds are there(sorry if I missed this)?

Wondering how big the 2 connected coops are and can they be joined into one larger space. Pics of coops and roosts would help immensely as your coop page goes to one pic of a rather small enclosure.

Multiple roosts in a coop are of great help when integrating.
I just block the nests before roost time then uncover after dark when locking up.
Made that easy to do by rigging a hinged cover.

Yes I have a small setup. The small coop is about 65 x 85 cm, with 2 roost of 65 cm. There is room for 4 small bantams. It has a small covered run (see picture of the store). On the right I build an extension with the second coop. This is about 95 cm x 1.20 m. There are 2 roosts of 95 cm in this coop. There are 4 or 5 bantam chickens sleeping on one roost. And 1 or 2 on the other.

I can close the small coop before dark. This way all the chickens have to sleep in the larger extension. But Janice is not sleeping on the roost there either.

Similar model -new - from an online store.

The coops + run behind it.

Another pic made at the end of summer.

They have approximate 2.5 m2 space here. I know it is not big but my chickens are really small (500-700 grams) and they can get out to the run as soon as the sun is up. In the run there are several covered places, branches and bushes (15m2).

It is dark here now. Tomorrow I can make more pics If you like.

 

[aart]

It is dark here now.

Really long dark there, eh?

Tomorrow I can make more pics If you like.

 

[BDutch]

Really long dark there, eh?

Yes. Middle of the night all over Europe.

You must have figured out that I’m not from the States or Canada because of my poor English.

 

[aart]

You must have figured out that I’m not from the States or Canada because of my poor English.

Uh, no, your english is very good....
...it was this:

Since your 10° north of me, I know your nights are an hour or so longer than here(where they are already too long).

Hopefully you can get current pics of your coops, inside and out, during your short day tomorrow.

 

[Perris]

it's less than a week now to winter solstice, so the days will start getting longer again soon - thank goodness! Dark 4pm-8am is hard going for us, as well as the chickens

 

[BDutch]

The coop pictures:

Left the small coop, in the middle the small roofed run. At the right the diy extension with a window in front.

The small coop. It was difficult to make a good picture. You have to turn the photo to the right.
There are 2 ‘high’ roost and one low roost they don’t use.

A look through from the door to clean the poop board in the extension to the entrance of the small coop. The branche is in the small run.

Originally it was quit open with much hardware cloth. I build it as a nice place to rest on warm summer days. But they prefer it over the small coop even in winter. The window blocks the cold east wind and using the extension as a place to sleep, made it possible to keep more chickens.

Our days are shorter in winter but the climate is milder as in Michigan and Portland because we have often have winds from the see (warm stream but too cold to swim). It only feezes with a north-east wind.

 

[aart]

Is that second pic taken thru this door?

What's the length of the roosts in the extension?

I wonder if you removed the pop door wall in the small coop it might reduce competition?

 

[BDutch]

Is that second pic taken thru this door?
View attachment 1981727

yes

What's the length of the roosts in the extension?

50cm / 1.6 feet

I wonder if you removed the pop door wall in the small coop it might reduce competition?

Normally the pop door is open. Needed for ventilation too.
I just closed it a while, during nightfall, trying to change the habits of the two chickens who sleep in the small coop. But the effect was that Janice ended up sleeping on the poop board under the roosts in the larger coop.