Hens sleeping in strange locations

[GallusCornelius]

Hello fellow chicken lovers!

I have 6 hens in all, 3 Wyandottes (Genevieve, Ingrid and Rosemary) and 3 Buff Orpingtons (Elsie, Lucille and Ethel). They are all 22 weeks old and have not started laying yet. Below is a picture from the outside access door of my coop (as well as a floorplan to help you visualize). As you can see in the background, there is ample room on the perches for them all. I have seen them sleep (or hanging out) up there during the day, but at night when they sleep, they tend to congregate where I have marked Xs; either on the ground level floor (in the corner and sometimes climbing on top of one another) or on top of the blue storage tote I have there for food, etc. As far as I can tell there is no temperature/draft issues, or any other reasons for this. Does anyone have a suggestion as to why they are sleeping here? Is there anything wrong with it that I should try to correct, and if so, how?

Thanks in advance!

 

[countrygirl345]

I cant see the pictures

 

[Kelsie2290]

How big are the perches in diameter? (they look kind of thin from that pic) What are they made of, they have good traction? How far away from the wall are they? Have you tried putting them on the perches at night a few times?

Hello and Welcome To BYC!

 

[GallusCornelius]

The perches are made of wood 1x2s (the 2" side facing up, the 1" side facing the camera, may be why they look thin). They have pretty good traction, and are about 1 foot or so from the wall. i have not tried putting them up there but might give that a try. Is there a reason they would prefer to sleep in the lowest part of the coop?

 

[aart]

I think if you used 2x4's wide side up that they would be more likely to roost on them.

 

[lamberts chooks]

Oddly enough, I have 5 chicken and my buff Orpington is the only one who doesn't take herself up to bed at night and just nods off on the run floor! Every night she's the only one I have to put to bed. I keep just comparing her to a cat who'd rather lay in the middle of a tiled floor as it's cool, as opposed to being cosey in a bed! There must be some logical reasoning for it!

 

[krista74]

I agree with @aart - The Orpingtons have massive feet and need a wider perch.

Use 2 x 4's flat side up, so they are like a bench for them.

It is much more comfortable, and I think you will find they will be more inclined to use them willingly.

- Krista