Nesting boxes or a covered perch?

[mattdog1995]

I was wondering, is it bad for your chickens to sleep in the nest boxes? I have heard you should make the perchs higher than nest boxes to encourage them to sleep there. Also should i have a covered area over the perchs? Someone please help!

 

[gryeyes]

Ummmmm... the "perches" are the night-time roost bars, correct? They should be IN the coop, which would make them covered (by the coop's roof).

Letting the birds sleep in the nest boxes means they'll poop in them, as they do at night. That means any eggs they lay may get dirty, which is annoying and some folks find disgusting.

Chickens prefer to get up high to roost, which is why you want the roost bars higher than the nest boxes. And you should have slanted tops to the nest boxes if they're inside the coop where the chickens could roost on the nest boxes. The slanted tops will not let them roost there.

I hope this is helpful.

 

[rchucks]

some of my little ones (not laying yet) have started sleeping in the next boxes. I haven't made a big deal of it though...