chickens laying eggs on roosts

[beaglex3]

3 of our chickens began laying about 2 weeks ago. we have rhode island reds and barred plymouth rocks. we built their coop and followed byc advice on nesting boxes, which are about 24 inches off the floor. all 3 of the chickens are laying their eggs on the roosting boards which are 5-6 feet off the floor! i have tried golf balls in the nesting boxes. putting the eggs in the nesting boxes for a couple of days. even picked up the hens and put them into the boxes with the eggs. they still insist on laying on the roosting boards. the 1st week, i was finding the eggs on the floor---broken. they seem to be getting it a little better bcuz this week eggs have been on the board. what can we do to get the ladies to use the nesting boxes instead of the roosts? we talked about hanging their nesting boxes from the underside of their roosting boards, but hate to go to the trouble of moving them if the ladies continue to lay on the top of the boards. suggestions??? advice???

 

[earlybird10842]

Maybe block off the roost during the day? Leave golf balls in nestboxes so they know where to lay

 

[EGM]

Put the food and water outside, lock the girls out in a run during the day with a similiar single nesting box. Worth a shot. Mine aren't laying in the boxes either. We moved to a new coop yestetday and this morning one layed off the high roost! Hopefully everyone will lay in boxes soon.

 

[EggsAllDay]

you say roosting "boards." how wide are these boards you are using as roosting poles?

My roost are old cedar branches smoothed down about 2 to 2.5 inches in diameter.
If you are using a wide board then maybe switch up your design a little bit?? hope that helps

 

[beaglex3]

i am sorry to have missed all of these helpful hints!! i was new to byc and didn't know where to check for posts. our roosts are 4" wide, we originally had dowel roosts and a shelf on the wall to set stuff on. every night at roost time all the chickens would push and fight over that shelf...sometimes with 4 of them crowded onto the 2 foot shelf! we gave up, took out the dowels and put up 4" wide boards for roosts. now everyone has their own space and no more fights.

i solved the problem of them laying eggs on the roost by screwing a straw filled medium sized plastic tote to the spot where they kept laying. they loved it so much they all tried to cram into it at the same time....or would stand on the shelf next to it cackling up a storm until they had their turn. again, we gave in, let the ladies have their way and put up 2 more totes for them to lay in. they aren't the classiest nesting boxes, but everyone is happy and we can count on no more eggs rolling off the roosts.

thanks again for your help!!

 

[RyanFunFarm]

glad you fixed the problem! Id love to see a pic of the tote bag roost setup

 

[Hokum Coco]

I have poop boards 3 1/2 inches from my roost so if a egg is laid from the roost it lands on the poop board (no harm done outside of maybe a little soiled); At least it saves the day. The poop boards slid out for easier cleaning similar to a drawer. It is just a piece of veneer held in place with a couple of cross member hockey sticks handles on the underside of 2x4 mounted on the wall. There are two 2x4 roost running the width of the coop (only one is visible in this picture. The roost are 24 inches from the second level of the 4x8 footprint coop. My Standard hens have no problems accessing the roost.