Hens are not roosting?

[love_stuz]

Hi all, I just recenlty made a roost for my 3 hens, they are probably around months old and have had them for 6. At frst i just let them sleep in their nesting boxes, positioned around half a metre off the ground. But now one of my hens have gone broody, so i made the roost so she would not sleep where she usually sits on the fake eggs (roost is at maximum height of the hen box) . So i have blocked off the nesting boxes, but the hens are sleeping on the ground in the corner of the coop. I dont know how to make them use the roost. they have jumped up on there a few times but have not stayed. thanks
PS. I have had the roost set up for 2 nights now.

 

[Stevo]

They will use it just give them a little time. Try to not let them roost in the nestbox. They will poop it up and is a pain to clean.

 

[Justicedog]

When I moved my girls from the brooder box to the coop, they would all try to cram into one nesting box. There were 6 of them. I boarded off the nesting boxes, so they all crammed into a dog pile in the corner. Two nights after they were settled, I went out there and moved them to the roost, then after that, they started sleeping up there.

 

[love_stuz]

I would try and go out and move them, but they are under the nesting boxes in the corner, and i cant really get in there??

 

[love_stuz]

They do jump up on the roosts in the morning though?

 

[TweeTea]

We had a similar problem, set up a new roost and the 3 girls and 1 roo wouldn't go in. The roo tried to lure the girls in but they would have none of it so he eventually gave up and slept outside with them.

Changed the entry to make it bigger, no success.
Blocked their other nesting box, they slept on another ledge.
Blocked the ledge, they slept on the ground.
Changed the roost again and they used it to lay eggs in but wouldn't sleep in it.

Once one girl was happy to nest in it and I blocked their last sleeping spot they all happily climbed in the new roost and have been there the last 3 nights. I think a big part is that they feel safe climbing in. If you can throw some food treats in (meale worms work REALLY well) and get them happy to be in the roost in daylight hours that helped my girls feel confident in it. If they are happy by day they seem more confident to trust it at twilight.

...not sure if this helps but keep us posted.