Help: Hens roosting in nest boxes

[fightingbunny]

Update on changes I have done. I moved the roosting bars and put a block over the nesting boxes. I am crossing my fingers that it works!!

New roosts are going the other direction and higher up!









There is a light weight board that should encourage the chickens to not sleep in nest boxes.


There is still lots of head room in the nest box area and I can reach in easily

 

[aart]

I thought you said you didn't have any carpentry skills?
Looks to me like you do, for sure.

Angled board might need to be slid up higher on brackets.
And you might still have to slide and other board down in front to cover access to nests if they decide to try sleeping in them.

Let us know how it works out....would love to see a pic wit the birds on roosts.

 

[fightingbunny]

I went out last night and looked in the coop and the hens are nesting like they used to Apparently the roosting bars aren't that interesting. I have one hen already laying, so I can not close up the nesting boxes. Silly birds!!

 

[aart]

I went out last night and looked in the coop and the hens are nesting like they used to Apparently the roosting bars aren't that interesting. I have one hen already laying, so I can not close up the nesting boxes. Silly birds!!

You'll have to close the nests off an hour or so before roosting time....
.....then open them back up well after dark or first thing in the morning.

Have to 'help' them change their habit.....might be able to leave nests uncovered after they have used the roosts for a week or so.

 

[432bullet]

We just catch the chicken after it has settled in for the night and then place it on the roost bar, When it wakes up in the morning it thinks it belongs there. They will not move around in the dark by themselves. We have had a few stubborn ones that it took a couple of nights to get them settled on the roost bar. They can't see at night. Just what works for us,

 

[fightingbunny]

Updating with results!

Success!! The ladies are all roosting on the bars like pro chickens and no one sleeps in the nesting boxes. I think now that they are all laying they do not want to sleep in the nesting boxes and now that the roosts are the highest place to sleep they prefer them. The only time I find a chicken in a nest box is when the bars are not in place.

I had to nail the roost bars in place as I did not make the braces tight enough and the bars kept getting knocked out. I think they would walk under the bar and stand up, thus lifting the bar out.

I found the little board over the nesting boxes to be flimsy and I removed it as it was not necessary.

 

[nasr69]

Hi!
Not trying to Hijack... but I got some of my ideas from this thread.
I have this same coop! I just got done re-enforceing it adding a door to the coop and adding the other run extension. So now my run is 12 foot (well 11 ft and 9 inch) x by 40 inch. I have 6 chicks but one is a Roo so I will have to re-home him. Anyone have and suggestions on what else I should do?

 

[fightingbunny]

That looks good! The extra run length makes a huge difference. If I wasn't building my own coop, I would have done this.

 

[kbowman123]

Watching this thread for ideas

 

[Soon2BChixMom]

Hi, Fightingbunny, I was directed to this thread. Looks like great coop modifications! Have you built your other coop yet? I have no skills except that I can use a tape measure and paint.


Nasr69 - did you make the extended run or did you find it? This looks like the coop I just got and I would love to add more run room to it.

Hi!
Not trying to Hijack... but I got some of my ideas from this thread.
I have this same coop! I just got done re-enforceing it adding a door to the coop and adding the other run extension. So now my run is 12 foot (well 11 ft and 9 inch) x by 40 inch. I have 6 chicks but one is a Roo so I will have to re-home him. Anyone have and suggestions on what else I should do?