New girls roosting in nesting box

[DraftXJumper]

We have three one-year-old hens with their routine down, but their new "little sisters" do not. They do all go in the coop before the auto door closes now, which is great! However, the pullets are sleeping in the nesting boxes. Tonight I pulled them out and set them on the roosting bar, but they immediately jumped off. Do I need a second roosting bar or will this just come with age? I'm afraid they're going to break/eat/damage any eggs in the box. The "little sisters" are about 14 weeks, and our roosting bar is about 6' 6" long. TIA for any advice!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You definitely need multiple roosts. Dominant or older birds will not share their roost with younger or submissive one.

 

[DraftXJumper]

Good to know, thank you! The three older girls huddle together at one end and didn't seem to be bothering the new girls, but we can put up another!

 

[BirdGirl2004]

Yes, usually younger "batches" of birds stay with one another in small cliques. I would most definitely get another roosting bar for them, and eventually them will all merge together as a flock, and it won't matter who's roosting bar is who's.
Good luck!

 

[Rachael<3Chickies]

I never worried much about it and with time and me doing nothing they all eventually ended up slowly roosting at night as the routine. My friend who has her roosts right against the ground almost and undersized, however has hers full grown and they sleep in nestboxes. I would think if they find their place in the flock and have ample decent sized roosts off the ground, they will most likely eventually roost without training. But that’s just my experience.

 

[DraftXJumper]

Thank you all for your advice! We'll work on a second roosting bar this weekend

 

[aart]

A second roost can help, tho my juvies(13wo) all use one end of the main roost, crowded right up next to the older birds(tho they have been integrated since 4wo).
You'd have to move them to the roost well after dark, using a dim light so as not to light their way down.

Might want to cover the nests an hour before roost time to get them into the habit of using the roost. I rigged a permanent nest cover that's easy to use and is always ready to go when needed. I close it up and hour before roost time, then open back up when I lock up after dark.

 

[DraftXJumper]

A second roost can help, tho my juvies(13wo) all use one end of the main roost, crowded right up next to the older birds(tho they have been integrated since 4wo).
You'd have to move them to the roost well after dark, using a dim light so as not to light their way down.

Might want to cover the nests an hour before roost time to get them into the habit of using the roost. I rigged a permanent nest cover that's easy to use and is always ready to go when needed. I close it up and hour before roost time, then open back up when I lock up after dark.

That is a great idea! We will give that a try!

 

[rosemarythyme]

My littles prefer the top roost bar, just like the adults, but only when the hens place themselves in such a way that the dominant is in the middle. Otherwise the other two will force the little ones off. Like aart my chicks were integrated earlier, so they've been on the roost since 5.5 weeks. I was prepared to cover the nest boxes but the chicks have never shown any interest in them.

 

[aart]

I was prepared to cover the nest boxes but the chicks have never shown any interest in them.

I had one batch of chicks a couple years ago that took 2 months to break the 'nest roosting', that's when I made the cover. Since then(I hatch chicks every year) it only took a couple nights to break that habit. Used the cover a lot this spring with a serial broody tho....and the prior 6mos with a neurotically compulsive nest messer.