do the roosts need to be higher than the nest boxes?

[bj taylor]

i'm lucky enough to be getting the coolest chicken coop built inside my greenhouse. the problem (the one i'm aware of at the moment) is the roosts, while lovely, are lower than the next boxes. i don't know chicken thought processes yet, so i'm wondering if i have a problem. thanks.

 

[clairabean]

Idealy, yes. Chickens will naturally try to roost on the highest point.

 

[NovaAman]

my nest box is on the floor, the roosts are all higher.

 

[oldorchardfarms]

my nest boxes are knee high and i have sevral roost that are well above my head and several mid way down and a smaller on close to the ground, They do use them all, but the one they use the most is the midway one and trust me i know because it can be a pain to clean. So my advice high but not to high, mid way is my luck spot lol

 

[LaurelRidgeDreams]

They will roost on the highest place they can get to.

 

[cravenchx]

Quote:
x's 2

 

[bairo]

Quote:
x's 2

x3..and what everyone else said
my boxes are 3 feet up. roost are 3,5, & 6 feet up. then there are 4 hens that go from the 6 foot to the rafters.
Nesting on the boxes is not really a bad thing in and of itself....its the pooping they do while roosting is why we try to keep them off there.

 

[Country Parson]

My nest box is even with my roosts, and I need to get in the coop and redo this eventually. I have 3 birds that insist on sleeping in the box, so I also recommend the boxes be significantly lower.

 

[teach1rusl]

Quote:
You only have a problem if you expect them to roost on the roosts.

Yeah - if your nest boxes have perches, make sure they're lower than the roosts, as everyone else suggested. And I like how you said "the one I'm aware of at the moment" lol! We all find things we wish we'd done differently w/our coops