Correct height for perches.

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mine like 2x4's. My guess is they are freaked out by everything new. Piling in a nestbox sounds comforting. Hopefully they start to become familiar with it all and start messing around on the roosts.

 

[GOATLADY006]

The top roost is just above the nest box height and lower one at about 20". They are beside the nest boxes. I kind of knew that chickens are not fans of change so hoping they will settle in after a few days. I will try blocking the nest boxes at night and see how that works to encourage them to roost.

 

[Folly's place]

I still have an April pullet who wants to roost in a nest box at night. I move her every night, and tonight she was on a roost!
I use tree limbs or saplings, 2" to 3" diameter, bark on, and some of my birds roost eight feet up on the rafters, which are either 4" fence posts, or 2x10's. It's about location, and preferences, and it all works out over time.
A Silkie can barely fly at all, so needs something low.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

I have a ladder perch in one area, and it helps transition the babies to the idea of roosting. Then, three and four ft. high roost bars, and then those rafters!
Mary

 

[Aunt Angus]

My roosts are 3 ft of the ground. I have 2 big girls (Brahma and Cochin), so I know they will have a hard time getting up and down once they are full grown. Their nesting boxes are 18 inches up. They would probably roost on top of them, but I have a slanted roof over them. I put the nesting boxes in just last week. They have been out in the coop since they were about 3 weeks old. They are used to the 2x3 (flat side up). That may be why they've never tried sleeping in the boxes. I don't know....

I lucked out. My girls are so well behaved!