Hi...I have a coop that is 4'x4'x4' that the previous person followed from a coop building book. so there is a raised shelve in the back for the nesting boxes and a perch which is a 2"x4" 48"" in length) wide side down for a perching bar. We just received new pullets and there are 4 average size hens 2 brown leghorns and 2 hampshires and bantams, 2 seabrights. As of now four are roosting in the supposed future nesting are and the two bantams are on the rod. I am afraid they will continue to roost like this and then we will have a messy nesting box area. I am stumped on what I can do to remedy this or is it not a big deal if they roost and lay eggs in the same place?
Sounds like you need to enlarge the building or add a taller area for roosting. 4X4 is just big enough for 4 birds. The roost needs to be significantly higher than the nests or they'll sleep in the nests which is a bad thing. Perhaps temporarily if you put a top on the nests they'll sleep on top of them and not IN the nests. That still isn't appropriate. They need a roost bar so they aren't sleeping in feces.
