- Thread starter
- #11
Thank you so much for all of your suggestions! Here is the update:
1. We removed the ladder and our silver laced wyandotte was hesitant to even fly up (although she finally did). There was quite a bit of pacing by 5 of the 7 before flying up. They all got down, but I'm certain it was with hesitation. With the exception of the wyandotte, they probably would have gotten used to it and all would have been fine but I worried about their heavy landings. We put the ladder back the next night. I really wish this had been the option that worked best because it wouldn't require building a permanent ladder and opened up space in the coop. If they were just a little lighter, the roosting area a little lower, or I was less nervous, it would be perfect!
2. Relocated the ladder to the center of the roost area, hoping Lucy would stay in her spot. She moved with the ladder.
3. Cut the width of the ladder in half so it was narrower, then cut a section out of the roost to lower it and match the new width of the ladder (also shortened the legs of the ladder so it was level with the piece we cut out). Lucy still claimed the spot at the top of the ladder and the rest of them had to either step on her to get around or jump up at 45 degrees to get to the roost . We put the piece back in and blocks under the ladder legs the next night. This solution would also have been great because it looked nicer than the wider ladder and provided more usable space in the coop. Silly Lucy!
4. We left it alone for a few days before finding time to build a roosting bar over the center of the poop tray. Miraculously, Lucy began roosting forward again. That was a month after I started this thread and I had logged in to post the update, but thought I should clean the coop first. Argh! She had roosted backward again. It's been another three weeks and most nights she faces forward. If I turn her around just after dark, she sometimes stays that way. We haven't build the center roost yet, but that's next on the list.
1. We removed the ladder and our silver laced wyandotte was hesitant to even fly up (although she finally did). There was quite a bit of pacing by 5 of the 7 before flying up. They all got down, but I'm certain it was with hesitation. With the exception of the wyandotte, they probably would have gotten used to it and all would have been fine but I worried about their heavy landings. We put the ladder back the next night. I really wish this had been the option that worked best because it wouldn't require building a permanent ladder and opened up space in the coop. If they were just a little lighter, the roosting area a little lower, or I was less nervous, it would be perfect!
2. Relocated the ladder to the center of the roost area, hoping Lucy would stay in her spot. She moved with the ladder.
3. Cut the width of the ladder in half so it was narrower, then cut a section out of the roost to lower it and match the new width of the ladder (also shortened the legs of the ladder so it was level with the piece we cut out). Lucy still claimed the spot at the top of the ladder and the rest of them had to either step on her to get around or jump up at 45 degrees to get to the roost . We put the piece back in and blocks under the ladder legs the next night. This solution would also have been great because it looked nicer than the wider ladder and provided more usable space in the coop. Silly Lucy!
4. We left it alone for a few days before finding time to build a roosting bar over the center of the poop tray. Miraculously, Lucy began roosting forward again. That was a month after I started this thread and I had logged in to post the update, but thought I should clean the coop first. Argh! She had roosted backward again. It's been another three weeks and most nights she faces forward. If I turn her around just after dark, she sometimes stays that way. We haven't build the center roost yet, but that's next on the list.
