Major design flaw discovered. HELP!!!!

[furbabymum]

So I went out around 8pm to place the new feeder I'd made in the chicken run. When I opened the door I was greeted by every single chicken perching on the FENCE GAH! The fence is important as the only door to the chicken coop/run is in the dog run. I don't want the chickens hanging out by that door for safety reasons. Here is a pic:

As you can see the post is only so high. I'm not going to be able to put much more chicken wire up on the right. The gate is the real problem as my husband and I are really not handy. Anything more than cut and nail and we are going to have issues. I'm really at a loss as to how to fix this. I did make them perches as seen here:

I took every chicken from the fence and put them up on the perch. One chicken a RIR hen was on the ground when I came in and seemed unable to get up to the fence and once I moved the other chickens stood underneath them chirping plaintively. I finally caught her and put her up with the others on the highest perch.

Do I just need to keep going in and putting them up on the perch?? Also, I put some on the lower perch and some on the higher. All the ones on the lower perch hopped off and stood under the higher perch until I picked them up and put them on the higher perch with the other birds. The higher perch is not going to be able to fit all the chickens when they are full grown. Should I raise the lower perch to be the same level?? The higher perch is about 5 feet off the ground.

Sorry for length.

 

[ScottM]

You could clip their wings (I've heard that one wing is better than both)

 

[Wishing4Wings]

If they can jump up on the wire fence, then they can easily get to the side by the door, which sounds dangerous. You could loosely string up some more chicken wire. Good even if it extends above the post. The height will deter them and loose, floppy wire is hard to perch on. After they are used to your perches, they'll probably be less inclined to roost on wire (can't be comfortable!).

My pullets all want to get on the highest roost, so it might be good to keep both yours at the same height. It took some a bit longer to learn how to get up on the roosts. Some of mine have even fallen off! Can yours get to the higher roost without help? Maybe a ramp would help. Keep putting them where you want them.

If they keep going over by the door, then you may have to clip wings, as suggested. But then they won't be able to break a fall from the upper roost, so consider putting both lower.

 

[furbabymum]

If they can jump up on the wire fence, then they can easily get to the side by the door, which sounds dangerous. You could loosely string up some more chicken wire. Good even if it extends above the post. The height will deter them and loose, floppy wire is hard to perch on. After they are used to your perches, they'll probably be less inclined to roost on wire (can't be comfortable!).

My pullets all want to get on the highest roost, so it might be good to keep both yours at the same height. It took some a bit longer to learn how to get up on the roosts. Some of mine have even fallen off! Can yours get to the higher roost without help? Maybe a ramp would help. Keep putting them where you want them.

If they keep going over by the door, then you may have to clip wings, as suggested. But then they won't be able to break a fall from the upper roost, so consider putting both lower.

Thank you. I'll see what I can do to add more chicken wire. I'm not sure if they can get to the higher roost without help. The fence is about 4 feet though and they were on that no problem so I imagine it will just be a matter of time.

 

[JackE]

You just need to buy more chicken wire and build a chicken wire wall instead of a fence, to block off the part you don't want them in. You don't wan to clip their wings because of this. This can be fixed without wing clipping. How old are your birds. When they are young, they are content to sleep on the floor in a pile. You don't have to bother with putting them on the roost, they will figure it out on their own, soon enough.
Jack