Cooptopia and the girls would rather sleep on the roof

[mrwoodboat]

So, we have what we thought is a nice, well planned coop for our chooks. It is 4' x 6' with nesting boxes bumped out one end (so it is easier to gather and doesn't take up coop space) inside are 3 roosts. The coop is 3' off of the enclosed pen (which has a roof over all of it) and the feeder and waterer is underneath the coop.

The coop is built with open eaves and vents at the lower sides so it would have good air circulation. We have the sides where they will slide open so it is super easy to clean out (we keep it clean and use PDZ under the straw) so I don't think sanitation is the issue here.

This year the hens have been roosting on the roof for the night instead of going inside where the rooster is all cozy.

Tonight our temps here are going to be in the single digits so I went out after they went to roost and put them all inside with the doorway shut.

Just wondering why they have decided to quit roosting inside? I know the pen is sheltered and it stays nice and dry but?????

 

[cavemanrich]

Have as many ?????? as you. But here is my suggestion, can you do something so they cant land on the roof ?? Some kind of barrier or deterrent ?? Maybe a rope to prevent them from making a landing.

Get creative. Then they will go inside.

Wishing you best

 

[mrwoodboat]

We have 10- I thought of putting 5 gallon buckets up there and removing the roosts and swings we have around the pen so there wouldn't be anywhere for them to roost on the outside...

 

[aart]

Not enough room inside?

 

[RonP]

How many birds, and how many feet of roosting bar?

I agree with aart , possibly not enough?

 

[mrwoodboat]

we have the 8 hens and there are 3 4' roosts

 

[aart]

How big is your coop?

Might just be a bad habit, start moving them off the roof and into the coop just after or near dark......
.....my daughter just had to deal with this and it only took a few days until when they saw her coming out they got down off roof and went into the coop.