Chickens on top of coop

[Deanvandam]

Hi all, I’m a new chicken owner. My chickens are about 15 weeks old.
For some reason my chickens have started roosting on top of the coop at night instead of going in. The coop is nice and clean 4x4 with a perch and nest boxes. I clipped their wing, one wing,and they still got up there last night. Should this be a concern? Thanks for any advice

 

[aembry1]

Mine do that, too. Im not too concerned about it. It does make a mess on the roof, so i have to clean it every few days. I have even tried making them higher roost spots but it didn't matter.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Thank you for including a picture.

A few things can contribute to this.

First birds like to sleep as high as possible. That roof is a high point.

Second would be overcrowding. I don't think that is the case for you.

Third would be bullying. Again I don't think that's the case.

Fourth would be parasites in the coop. Your birds are young so not much time for bugs to have found them.

Fifth would be the coop being underventilated and to hot. I see a vent so not sure on that one.

I think it is a case of the roof is the high point.
Roosting outside in the open is a risk for bad weather and predators finding them. Yes owls will take sleeping chickens. Raccoons, mink, weasels and many other predators are active at night and will take birds that are in the open.

I do not see a predator resistant run. I would be putting them in the coop every night after they have dozed off....easier to catch them then.

 

[aart]

Second would be overcrowding. I don't think that is the case for you.

Did I miss how many birds there are?

Fifth would be the coop being underventilated and to hot. I see a vent so not sure on that one.

Yes...and I see no windows.

 

[21hens-incharge]

Did I miss how many birds there are?

Yes...and I see no windows.

The pic shows 4 maybe 5 on the coop.....

 

[aart]

The pic shows 4 maybe 5 on the coop.....

Ahhh, I didn't look close enough.

 

[Deanvandam]

Did I miss how many birds there are?

Yes...and I see no windows.

Hi, thanks for response. There is another vent on the other side too. But I plan on putting a square house type one on the roof. 12”x12”. But having said that it was down to 52 degrees last night. I tried to put them in coop 2 nights ago and that did not go well at all. I guess they are ok as long as they are not getting over the fence. I am considering building an enclosed run.

 

[Deanvandam]

Hi, thanks for response. There is another vent on the other side too. But I plan on putting a square house type one on the roof. 12”x12”. But having said that it was down to 52 degrees last night. I tried to put them in coop 2 nights ago and that did not go well at all. I guess they are ok as long as they are not getting over the fence. I am considering building an enclosed run.

5 chickens

 

[PioneerChicks]

Training Chickens to "Coop" at Night

 

[Anime2lover]

The

Did I miss how many birds there are?

Yes...and I see no windows.

Re is a mesh window above the big doorway