Narrow Coop - Roost Issues - Help!

[BrittChick15]

Hello everyone!
I’m going to try this again since I’ve posted about this before and I’m still super stumped. I have a narrow coop. It’s about 3 to 4 ft. wide and about 7 to 8 ft. long. The roosts that came with the coop are terrible! I’m ripping them out this week for sure! But I need ideas on how to redo the roosts so that my girls will use it. I have already attached a roost to the right hand side of the coop but it’s too high and my girls don’t use it. They are now using the current roosts and also sleeping in the nesting boxes and pooping in them! I attached some pictures for reference. Any help or advice would be awesome! It’s getting colder here now and I want my girls to be able to huddle together to keep warm. Thanks!
I will also add that my hubby will NOT allow me to rip any of the nesting boxes out... I already asked

 

[Stockpilejoy]

I would definitely work on convincing your husband. It might help cooking his favorite meals/desserts, back rubs etc. With it being so narrow not sure how to help without making it difficult for your flock to get up and down off roost without changing nesting boxes in some way. How many hens do you have in your flock? It appears you have way more than enough nesting boxes for the space. Option 1: Remove some nesting boxes leaving just 2 or 3 giving more room for roost with possibly a drop board beneath to make your life easier. As you probably already know chickens will resort to sleeping in nesting box if boxes are higher than accessible roost. Option 2: If you eventually convince him to let you lower boxes I would recommend removing slanted nesting cover also and replace it with flat covering converting it to drop board with roost just above that. Best wishes in convincing your husband to allow you to make nesting box changes. Please post revisions if indeed that does happen

 

[Eggs2chicks]

I agree. I would definitely get rid of the roosting boxes under the window for sure. Way too many roosting boxes. How many chickens do you have???? I have 10 (now 14/15) and only 6 nesting boxes and they only use 3. They like the same ones.

 

[Eggs2chicks]

I like how high the nesting boxes are. Easier on you collecting eggs. But definitely turn the area above into a poop tray and roost bar above it.

 

[aart]

I will also add that my hubby will NOT allow me to rip any of the nesting boxes out... I already asked

Why not?
That's exactly what needs to happen.
Is it because he's the one who would have to do it?
Are they nailed or screwed into place?

I'd rip them all out, put a poop board and roost along the left side in pic, and a few nests on the floor at the far end of coop in pic.

 

[Coloradopo-ta-toe]

My coop is roughly the same size (8x4). My setup isn't the best but I feel like it makes good use of the small space.

Maybe you could relocate some of the nest boxes? Seems like you have more than enough though.

 

[BrittChick15]

I would definitely work on convincing your husband. It might help cooking his favorite meals/desserts, back rubs etc. With it being so narrow not sure how to help without making it difficult for your flock to get up and down off roost without changing nesting boxes in some way. How many hens do you have in your flock? It appears you have way more than enough nesting boxes for the space. Option 1: Remove some nesting boxes leaving just 2 or 3 giving more room for roost with possibly a drop board beneath to make your life easier. As you probably already know chickens will resort to sleeping in nesting box if boxes are higher than accessible roost. Option 2: If you eventually convince him to let you lower boxes I would recommend removing slanted nesting cover also and replace it with flat covering converting it to drop board with roost just above that. Best wishes in convincing your husband to allow you to make nesting box changes. Please post revisions if indeed that does happen

TRUST ME! I tried my hardest!!! He won’t budge. He bought it so I had to ask him first. His reasoning is because if we ever sell it! ‍ I’m just like I could make it better for me and the next people to have it! I’m so stumped but he won’t let me and if I do it behind his back ohhhhh man! I’ll be in trouble

 

[BrittChick15]

My coop is roughly the same size (8x4). My setup isn't the best but I feel like it makes good use of the small space. View attachment 1945197 View attachment 1945202 Maybe you could relocate some of the nest boxes? Seems like you have more than enough though.

I’ve already tried he won’t let me

 

[BrittChick15]

I agree. I would definitely get rid of the roosting boxes under the window for sure. Way too many roosting boxes. How many chickens do you have???? I have 10 (now 14/15) and only 6 nesting boxes and they only use 3. They like the same ones.

I tried to get him let me move them and remove them. He won’t budge. And I have wayyyyy too many nesting boxes. Only have 5 girls. Plan on getting more but yet I have too many boxes.

 

[sewchick]

Maybe nail plywood pieces over the ones you do not use or wire. They cannot get in what is covered. I remember my chickens would not stay on the roost until I started to go out at night and put them on that darn roost. It took about a month of that then they finally got the idea. I live in Maine. Way cold here. I mean chickens are not the smartest animals. Hope you find an answer that helps.