My hens don't roost?! Bad setup?

[DaveOmak]

I have read chickens like to feel safe when they roost..... Usually up in trees among the branches... Openings like the hole in the wall or windows could have them a bit nervous about that roosting location...

 

[donrae]

Chickens roost at night, when they sleep. When the sun's up, so are they, on the ground for the most part. They might perch on things during the day, but most of the daylight time is for finding food, social time, hygiene, egg laying, things like that. Nighttime is for roosting.

 

[Sabz]

They actually roost now

I didn't have time to modify the ladder, but I have opened up the second half of the coop. I had a chicken in there which I wasn't sure if she had worms or not, so I kept that one separated from the others. Finally, I got her to poop twice on my porch (no pine shaving) and after intensively checking out the poop (yuck) I decided she was OK.

I opened up the separation and now they all roost on the side they couldn't access before haha.

There is also an opening in that wall. It is a 2x4, like part of the roost on the other side. The distance between roost and wall is bigger and there is no board below the roost. The roosts could be too close to the board on the other side.

Oh well, now they seem more "normal" to me