How long do you...

[Camberwellchook]

Keep putting a hen up on the perch at night to try and get it to roost?

I have a new Australorp Hen that keeps trying to sleep in the nest. For the last 3 nights I've put her up on the roost. It seems like she's not getting the idea, every evening when I go out there she's curled up in the nest. I know she can get up to the roost as she goes up there sometimes in the day.

I think the issue may be is that I have silkie also which sleeps on the ground curled up. Now they are cuddling up together at night so I think the silkie is teaching it bad behaviour!

How long do I keep progressing with trying to getting her to sleep on the roost? I'm tempted to just leave her curled up to the silkie as I feel cruel moving them when they are warm sleeping close to each other...however I don't want her pooing all in the nest etc - it's bad for the eggs!

 

[4 the Birds]

I would revisit your roost set-up. They should have a ramp or ladder to it if it is over a few feet high and the bar should be in a draft free area and have plenty of room. It should also be higher than the nest box(es). With a good design, the roost will have birds at night without your help.

 

[Mtn Laurel]

I had a girl that was always sleeping in the nest. #1 = make sure your nesting box is lower than your roost. That was my initial problem but - when I corrected it - she was in the habit of sleeping in the nest and wanted to continue there.

So I blocked off the nest. I put a board in front of it to close it off. Now - if you do this - you have to get up very early in the morning to unblock the nest so they can lay.

It worked and she began roosting. However, every once in a while she'll try to sneak into that nest at night. In fact, caught her in there when I went to lock up last night. She KNOWS she's not supposed to be in there and all I have to do now is call her name and tell her to get to the roost and she gets up and moves. Although she "talks back" to me the entire time she's moving. Too funny! Who knew that hens would "back talk"?!