Laying eggs in new coop but won’t roost

[feathermaid]

I think it looks a bit tight for 10 birds too. Are they all bantams except for one?

They're only 8 months old so they're still getting bigger, at least bigger than they used to be in the old coop. Generally, each bird needs 12 linear inches on a roost, so hopefully your roosts are about 5' each. And it does take quite a bit of space to flap their wings and hop up there to get settled, and just as much room to jump down, maybe they feel crowded?

You could try lowering the roosts to be level with the perch on the nest boxes. That could make them more accessible. I would also attach a low board across the door opening and fill the floor with about an inch of Sweet PDZ so the poop is easy to scoop out (like cat litter). Will also help keep down the ammonia fumes, especially with that many chickens.

 

[Vwise507]

I think it looks a bit tight for 10 birds too. Are they all bantams except for one?

They're only 8 months old so they're still getting bigger, at least bigger than they used to be in the old coop. Generally, each bird needs 12 linear inches on a roost, so hopefully your roosts are about 5' each. And it does take quite a bit of space to flap their wings and hop up there to get settled, and just as much room to jump down, maybe they feel crowded?

You could try lowering the roosts to be level with the perch on the nest boxes. That could make them more accessible. I would also attach a low board across the door opening and fill the floor with about an inch of Sweet PDZ so the poop is easy to scoop out (like cat litter). Will also help keep down the ammonia fumes, especially with that many chickens.

The roosts are 6 feet in length each. The whole inside of the hen house is 6x5. With external nesting boxes. The run is 24x5. And the free range with me so the run and hen house is intended to be large enough for them to be locked into while I’m on a vacation only. I did all the calculations I needed for them to have enough space. Not sure why so many are guessing from a visual that there isn’t enough space for them.

 

[Rietta]

I think time, in time they shall sort out their issue. Lure them in and close it up, eventually they will roost on their own, maybe do it like someone else said lure them in with a small treat then leave them in overnight. When I moved some new chickens in they had to be lured in every night for about a week. Then they started doing it on their own. Chickens don't like new things, it makes them nervous until they get used to it. Best of luck!

 

[Shadrach]

Your coop is fine.
Your run is a better size than many I see here.
A lot depends on how you intend to use the coop and run.
If your chickens were to spend a considerable amount of time locked in the coop then yes, much more space would be better.
You write that you free range them 'sometimes' which imo is good. The more time they have out of the coop and run the better.
I do have a couple of suggestions. Fowl roosting on the ends of the roost bars are going to poop in the nest boxes. While not the end of the world, clean nest boxes are better in the event a hen decides to sit.
I wouldn't put food or water in the coop. It encourages rodents and the food that gets scratched out makes a mess.
What may cause you problems is the window position (used for ventilation?) being in line with the roost bars. This may direct a draft onto the chickens and could be a reason they are reluctant to perch. You could try closing the window and blacking it out and see if that helps.
My preference has been to vent close to floor level and again at the roof eaves. This avoids the problems of direct airflow on the chickens when roosting.
I've found that roost bars that are jump height work best; say around 8 inches from the nearest surface below. My preference is to make the coop structures high off the ground and provide a ramp for access and leave the roost bars in the coop low. It means there is a lot less wing flapping and difficulties getting on the roost bars at night and less chance of 'accidents' when the chickens get off the bars.

 

[Vwise507]

Your coop is fine.
Your run is a better size than many I see here.
A lot depends on how you intend to use the coop and run.
If your chickens were to spend a considerable amount of time locked in the coop then yes, much more space would be better.
You write that you free range them 'sometimes' which imo is good. The more time they have out of the coop and run the better.
I do have a couple of suggestions. Fowl roosting on the ends of the roost bars are going to poop in the nest boxes. While not the end of the world, clean nest boxes are better in the event a hen decides to sit.
I wouldn't put food or water in the coop. It encourages rodents and the food that gets scratched out makes a mess.
What may cause you problems is the window position (used for ventilation?) being in line with the roost bars. This may direct a draft onto the chickens and could be a reason they are reluctant to perch. You could try closing the window and blacking it out and see if that helps.
My prefernce has been to vent close to floor level and again at the roof eaves. This avoids the problems of direct airflow on the chickens when roosting.
I've found that roost bars that are jump height work best; say around 8 inches from the nearest surface below. My preference is to make the coop strauctures high off the ground and provide a ramp for access and leave the roost bars in the coop low. It means there is a lot less wing flapping and difficulties getting on the roost bars at night and less chance of 'accidents' when the chickens get off the bars.

Thank you! I free range all the time except vacation when my husband comes too, it’s 2 weeks out of a year so that’s the only time they are locked in the run and coop. So yes I think they have plenty of room for the freedom they have. So far they have roosted the last 2 nights. And so far away from the nesting boxes completely. I have a lot of space with the roosts so if I end up blocking off the side by the nesting boxes then it shouldn’t cause any issues ...famous last words. The rest for the drafting windows is because we are in Florida and it never gets like cold cold. Even the few nights we had high 30s at night they were all fine. Their old coop was set up even more drafty than this coop so I’m Guessing it may be the opposite problem of not being used to less draft so far they seem to have calmed down and all roosted no problem on the bars, I love watched them jump up and they don’t even flap at all when jumping, so I’m guessing that’s good.

 

[Shadrach]

Thank you! I free range all the time except vacation when my husband comes too, it’s 2 weeks out of a year so that’s the only time they are locked in the run and coop. So yes I think they have plenty of room for the freedom they have. So far they have roosted the last 2 nights. And so far away from the nesting boxes completely. I have a lot of space with the roosts so if I end up blocking off the side by the nesting boxes then it shouldn’t cause any issues ...famous last words. The rest for the drafting windows is because we are in Florida and it never gets like cold cold. Even the few nights we had high 30s at night they were all fine. Their old coop was set up even more drafty than this coop so I’m Guessing it may be the opposite problem of not being used to less draft so far they seem to have calmed down and all roosted no problem on the bars, I love watched them jump up and they don’t even flap at all when jumping, so I’m guessing that’s good.

That's great. Chickens can be very fussy creatures and like us, new is scary.
I think they'll be fine in the run for a couple of weeks while you take a holiday.
One other thing that I can't see in the pictures is a skirt dug into the ground around the outside of the run.
This is actually very important. Some predators dig under the run frame and once in the run they tend to kill all the chickens they can. Often with free range chickens a predator attack means one at a time losses.
The skirt should extend a couple of feet outwards from the coop and be made from hardware cloth. While this doesn't make digging impossible it does tend to discourage it.
Who did you manage to blackmail into looking after your chickens while you're away?

 

[Vwise507]

That's great. Chickens can be very fussy creatures and like us, new is scary.
I think they'll be fine in the run for a couple of weeks while you take a holiday.
One other thing that I can't see in the pictures is a skirt dug into the ground around the outside of the run.
This is actually very important. Some predators dig under the run frame and once in the run they tend to kill all the chickens they can. Often with free range chickens a predator attack means one at a time losses.
The skirt should extend a couple of feet outwards from the coop and be made from hardware cloth. While this doesn't make digging impossible it does tend to discourage it.
Who did you manage to blackmail into looking after your chickens while you're away?

Hahahaha my best friend, she’s an awesome lady! There is a hardware cloth and rocks on top around the bottom, just finished that the other day, after these pics, it was a whole day affair doing that! Thank you!

They are some of the easiest hardest pets ever

 

[Shadrach]

They are some of the easiest hardest pets ever

Aren't they just.

 

[feathermaid]

The roosts are 6 feet in length each. The whole inside of the hen house is 6x5. With external nesting boxes. The run is 24x5.....................
so far they seem to have calmed down and all roosted no problem on the bars, I love watched them jump up and they don’t even flap at all when jumping, so I’m guessing that’s good.

That sounds awesome! Glad to hear they're all doing great. I was just trying to offer a suggestion that might help them adjust to roosting again.

Not sure why so many are guessing from a visual that there isn’t enough space for them.

Because you didn't originally state the dimensions and yes, a picture can be deceiving. That, along with always hearing about so many folks (sooo very many) who mistakenly believe that a small coop will house a whole bunch of birds can somewhat (and also mistakenly) prod an assumption.

 

[Vwise507]

That sounds awesome! Glad to hear they're all doing great. I was just trying to offer a suggestion that might help them adjust to roosting again.


Because you didn't originally state the dimensions and yes, a picture can be deceiving. That, along with always hearing about so many folks (sooo very many) who mistakenly believe that a small coop will house a whole bunch of birds can somewhat (and also mistakenly) prod an assumption.

I understand! I appreciate all the info! I’ve only been a chicken mom for 8 months so still learning but have researched I think far more than most new chicken moms.

So far, they all have been roosting wonderfully with no problems! Seems they just needed a few days to figure it out ha