[b][/b] Roosting in a chicken coop??

[markb816]

I am new at raising chickens. Just bought 8 hens last Saturday. I have had them almost a week and love them !. I have built my own coop for them and they seem to like it. Inside the coop I placed an old wooden shelf 5ft high and they get on the 3rd from bottom shelf at night and sleep. Is this roosting? Should my ladies be supplied with something else in the coop to roost on? Would there eggs fall off they were roosting? My coop is about 6 ft high. Can someone help me with this

 

[ColoradoMike]

Yes, roosting is the act of 'perching' to sleep at night. They shouldn't lay eggs at night, so you shouldn't worry about eggs 'rolling off' the roost. Most folks put a wooden roost in - such as a 2x4 with the wide side up for them to roost on, though some let them roost on shelves/rafter/branches/whatever.

Good luck and

 

[markb816]

Thanks for the answer. Does it have to be a certain height for them to roost? And I didn't know they didn't lay eggs at night. that is interesting. I am learning new things all the time!!

 

[markb816]

So what is the difference between roosting and night and a box or nest? what would be the different function of the two?

 

[Qi Chicken]

The roost is their bed.

The nest box is where they lay their egg. Kind of like a toilet for a person except they poop an egg. What I mean is, they know what they have to do, and go to the right place to do it. (lay egg--go to nestbox)


Normally a roost is a board or branch. This is not comfortable to lay an egg on. A nest box is usually 12 inches square (12 inches high, deep and wide) it has straw in it to make it comfortable and so the eggs will not break.