Chickens roosting at coop door entrance at night

[AmIafarmeryet]

I have 60 chickens, 48 meaties and 12 layers. The meaties are at 6 weeks and have started roosting right at the chicken entrance door every night at dusk. TAll of the birds were/are good about going into the coop on their own, BUT once 40 or so of the meaties have settled down for the night at the door there are always about 10 birds stuck outside who can't push there way past the big meaties. So I have to place about 10 birds every night in the coop by hand before locking them in for the night.

Does anyone have any ideas on how to get them to stop settling at the coop door everynight? I have thought about trying to place some kind of obstacle to make it uncomfortable, but I cant think of anything that also wouldn't block the door. The door is about 12" wide by 16" tall

I checked all the other forums and thought this was the most appropriate place to post in...


Thanks!

 

[CoopCrazy]

Do you close your Pop door at night? Could be they are just enjoying the fresh air coming in.... Also how well ventilated is your coop , chickens seem to know better then we do sometimes what they require....

 

[RockyPhoenix]

haha my some of my hens did that except they roosted ontop of the door! haha i just had to move them to the roost with the other chooks till they figured it out!

 

[AmIafarmeryet]

I do close the pop door after I get them all in there at night...I think tonight I may try leaving the people door (on the other side of the coop) open towards dusk for added ventilation and see if that draws them to the other side away from the chicken door.