Pullets ---- 1/2 on roost bars and 1/2 in nesting boxes?..

[MandalaMaMa]

I have 12 pullets and 1/2 are pilling in the nest boxes at night. I can't block them off because my 8 older girls use the nest boxes in the day time. My roost bars are all at the same level and make an "L" around two sides of our coop. The coop is 8' x 10', so there is 80' of roosting bars. We should have plenty of room for 20 chickens. I have two hens that are 3 yrs old and they have always roasted on one end of the "L" and the six other hens are 1 1/2 yrs old and roast on the opposite end of the "L". So there is plenty of room in the middle for the pullets.. In fact that's were 1/2 of them go. But every night I have to move the others up onto the bar and then they stay there all night. Will they eventually figure it out on their own?
I've never had this problem before.
Here's some pictures to show our setup before the girls ever moved in.

 

[Pork Pie]

Could you not block the nests off on a night and then open them first thing in the morning, when you let your flock out?

 

[MandalaMaMa]

Could you not block the nests off on a night and then open them first thing in the morning, when you let your flock out? 

This is something my husband and I was just talking about tonight after I posted this. We'll have to see if we can come up with something tomorrow and try it tomorrow night.
Thanks for the reply CTKen.

 

[Pork Pie]

You are welcome - hope it works. If you are able to close the nest off, then after maybe a week or even less, they should get into the swing of roosting in the right place

 

[aart]

Covering nests is the way to go.
Maybe rig something with hooks and eyes(eyes on edge of poop board, hooks on cover) so it's easy to put up and take down.
Mine is hinged, but that won't work on your setup.
I cover a couple hours before dusk, then uncover when I lockup after dark.

 

[MandalaMaMa]

Well we blocked the hen boxes tonight. Still waiting to see what happen at bed time.