Chicken(s) roosting ON nesting box

[Lifewithchicks]

I had a sick hen last week and last night was her first night back in the coop. I went out to make sure she roosted and she was on the thin piece of wood separating nesting boxes. My daughter picked her up and put her on the roost with the 3 other hens. This evening I went and checked and she and her bestie (both the smallest and lowest in the pecking order) are both on a nesting box. Obviously, this is going to result in a lot of poop in the boxes. She always roosted on the actual roost before getting sick. All 4 used to huddle together. How do I get these 2 to roost on the bar? Moving chickens every night doesn’t sound fun...

 

[pennyJo1960]

I had a sick hen last week and last night was her first night back in the coop. I went out to make sure she roosted and she was on the thin piece of wood separating nesting boxes. My daughter picked her up and put her on the roost with the 3 other hens. This evening I went and checked and she and her bestie (both the smallest and lowest in the pecking order) are both on a nesting box. Obviously, this is going to result in a lot of poop in the boxes. She always roosted on the actual roost before getting sick. All 4 used to huddle together. How do I get these 2 to roost on the bar? Moving chickens every night doesn’t sound fun...

hey might have to put another roost then dynamics change when one leaves and come back

 

[Lifewithchicks]

hey might have to put another roost then dynamics change when one leaves and come back

Should have added, there is another roost

 

[pennyJo1960]

Should have added, there is another roost

is it the same height as the other one

 

[Lifewithchicks]

is it the same height as the other one

No, it’s lower. But, so are the nesting boxes... ?

 

[aart]

You may have to cover the nests so they are 'unroostable' until she gets back into the pecking order and the habit of using the roosts.

I cover an hour before roost time, then uncover after dark when I lock up.
Made hinged covers so it's easier during integrations..or otherwise necessary.

 

[Lifewithchicks]

You may have to cover the nests so they are 'unroostable' until she gets back into the pecking order and the habit of using the roosts.

I cover an hour before roost time, then uncover after dark when I lock up.
Made hinged covers so it's easier during integrations..or otherwise necessary.

Well this is BRILLIANT!!! Thank you so much for a great idea. We have a different setup, nesting boxes are only easily accessible to us from the nesting box door, but I bet my husband could just put a piece of wood flat across the top of ours!
Hopefully this would deter them, but if not, at least it would save the nesting boxes from all the poop!

I really appreciate the idea and pics!

 

[aart]

could just put a piece of wood flat across the top

Well, then they would roost and poop on that flat board.
Angled boards are better as it keep them totally off of it.
If you post some pics of your setup, I could help figure something out.

Here's mod on a tiny coop that might spark some ideas,
last pic show angled board over nests.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1134399/help-hens-roosting-in-nest-boxes/10#post_17749535

 

[Lifewithchicks]

Well, then they would roost and poop on that flat board.
Angled boards are better as it keep them totally off of it.
If you post some pics of your setup, I could help figure something out.

Here's mod on a tiny coop that might spark some ideas,
last pic show angled board over nests.
http://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1134399/help-hens-roosting-in-nest-boxes/10#post_17749535

My husband finally put a piece of wood angled above the nesting boxes so they can no longer roost there. I went out at dark to check and she was laying on the coop floor! What the heck? My daughter put her on the roost, as we have several times. Why won’t she roost anymore? There are 3 roosts to choose from. 2 high and one lower. So she wouldn’t have to roost next to the others.

 

[aart]

Why won’t she roost anymore? There are 3 roosts to choose from. 2 high and one lower. So she wouldn’t have to roost next to the others.

Is she completely recovered from her illness?
She may not have worked her way back into the pecking order so might be being excluded from the roosts by the other birds?
Knowing how many birds total, dimensions and pics of coop and roosts, might give clues for solutions.