Help with roosting..

[HenDenMom]

I have 18 week old buff orpingtons and 1 australorp who have refused to roost anywhere but on top of their coop every night. The coop is in an enclosed run, so it’s safe, but I’m worried about their feet because of the shape of the coop roof (see picture). We’ve built 2 other roost bars next to the roost (they don’t use them), put lights in the coop that go off at dusk and nothing is working! 1. Should I be worried about their feet? 2. What else can I try? Thank you!

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Is it hot where you are? I had a similar situation with a prefab coop that my chickens didn’t want to sleep in during the summer because it had terrible ventilation.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Their feet should be fine. If the coop roof is the highest point in the enclosure that's why they find it attractive to roost on.

Also it looks like you have a small coop, and if it has the added strike of poor ventilation, the birds are voting against using it by sleeping on top of it.