Greetings from Tucson, AZ

[janiedoe]

Good luck with your security!

 

[007Sean]

Howdy, and a belated Welcome to Backyard Chickens.

Happy to have you here with us. Enjoy your time here at BYC!

Thanks for joining our community!

 

[chukutgal]

Hi, neighbor! What kind of roosts? Are they high up?

You can also join us in the Arizona thread and try asking there.

They are "sticks" that are about 3-1/2 feet off the ground. But they are in the open area and uncovered by a roof.

 

[Debbie292d]

They are "sticks" that are about 3-1/2 feet off the ground. But they are in the open area and uncovered by a roof.

That's why they're roosting outdoors. I'd just have roosts in the coop, at least for a couple of weeks, until they start going in there at night.

Welcome to BYC!

 

[chukutgal]

That's why they're roosting outdoors. I'd just have roosts in the coop, at least for a couple of weeks, until they start going in there at night.

Welcome to BYC!

So you are saying we have to find a way to enclose the roosts? Yikes! We will think how to do that.

 

[Debbie292d]

So you are saying we have to find a way to enclose the roosts? Yikes! We will think how to do that.

I believe everyone has roosts in their coops. What do they sit on in your coop? I think we need a visual!

 

[chukutgal]

I believe everyone has roosts in their coops. What do they sit on in your coop? I think we need a visual!

They sit on roosts that are in the open - protected by very strong chicken fencing but no roof. Their nesting area is totally protected on 3 sides by wood so we "assumed" they would cozy up in there. My neighbor has chickens and they know to go into their nesting area when the sun goes down and a little door is operated by the ambient light and closes once the sun is down. My chickens...nope - they sit in the open.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

How wide are the roosts? I think some chickens find narrow round branches a little difficult to grip comfortably. After all, they aren't parakeets. You could try a 1"x3" furring strip (pine board) and smooth the edges a little with some sandpaper so they're not sharp right angles.

My chickens aren't fond of roosting, either. They grew up together sleeping in a pile in the pine shavings and they still do that a year later.

They sometimes sit on the roosts in their run during the day, that's how we found out they prefer the flat furring strips to round dowels or branches.

 

[chukutgal]

How wide are the roosts? I think some chickens find narrow round branches a little difficult to grip comfortably. After all, they aren't parakeets. You could try a 1"x3" furring strip (pine board) and smooth the edges a little with some sandpaper so they're not sharp right angles.

My chickens aren't fond of roosting, either. They grew up together sleeping in a pile in the pine shavings and they still do that a year later.

They sometimes sit on the roosts in their run during the day, that's how we found out they prefer the flat furring strips to round dowels or branches.

The like their roosts a bit too much. I think the answer is that we have to move the roosts from the outdoor "run" area to the covered and protected area - at least until they learn to stay in the protected area for when the rains come here in southern AZ.

Thank you for your advice.

 

[EmmaDonovan]

Might rain on Wednesday. Keep us updated!