pooping in nest boxes!

[loopylorps]

I have 2 black australorps that share a large coop. My husband built 3 nesting boxes and a roosting ledge in place of a bunny hatch they were sleeping in when given to us. Once we removed that it took a couple of days for them to figure out to lay in the new boxes but they haven't figured out to get on the roosting ledge to sleep. They sleep on the ground! This morning I noticed poop in their nesting boxes!!! What to do????

In Training,
Loopylorps

 

[Mahonri]

Go in at night and put them on the roost.

the roost must be higher than the entrance to the nest boxes.

 

[TheMainException]

I've got a similar problem. I have two roosts in the coop for the flock of six but they all sleep on the one or on the ground. I had seven before and there was always one or two that would sleep either IN the nest box or on the edge of it. Since one died, I figured they could all get on the one roost, but they still don't! A couple of them take turns sleeping on the ground and I just don't get it! One of the ones who sleeps in the nesting box is a dominant female and the other is the nondominant male. I'm confused, it just doesn't seem to make sense. (and so, then, of course there is poop in the boxes).