Hens sleeping in nest boxes after adding new birds.

[flyin-lowe]

I bought 5 amber links about 6-8 weeks ago. I had 7 hens that are about 2 years old that I was adding the ambers into. I kept them quarantined for just over 4 weeks. I added more perching space and now they have been together for 3 weeks. They don't seem to be fighting anymore that I notice however at night a couple of the original hens are now sleeping in the nesting boxes. I kind of expected the new hens to be bullied into submission. Right now I have 14 foot of roosting space for 12 birds. They typically huddle up pretty good so when I check there is often several feet of open roost space. I am assuming the best thing to do is start blocking the nest boxes off at night? I don't want them in there once the weather turns, they external boxes built off the back of the coop and I am assuming they would be a lot colder at night then being huddled up inside the coop. My original flock is a mix of RIR, golden comets, and barred rocks.

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

You could block off the boxes before roost or once they go to bed move the girls in the boxes to the roost.

Either way it will probably take several attempts for them to get the idea.

 

[aart]

Are the roosts easy to get up to?
They need 'wing spread' space if they have to fly up.

Yes, covering nests would be the next step.
I made a permanent hinged cover,
put it down an hour before roost time,
open back up after dark when I lock up.
Poop in nests is a bigger concern than too cold.

 

[flyin-lowe]

Thanks aart. The roosts are just a couple feet off the ground, they have never had trouble getting up, and there is open space. The ones sleeping in the box have been in there for 2 years almost. I am guessing the pecking order has changed...

 

[ChattyChickens4Life]

Are the new birds the one sleeping in the nesting boxes? If so, it could be because they feel they don't have permission to sleep on the roosts.

-Chatty

 

[aart]

I'll bet the one sleeping in the nest is molting and avoiding the RoostTimeRumble.

 

[flyin-lowe]

One of the ones in the nestbox is molting. And as stated above the ones sleeping in the nest box are from the original flock that have been in this coop for almost 2 years.