Pullets And Cockerel Sleeping the nesting box.

[Jl neighborhood flock]

So I recently blocked off my nesting boxes to prevent my chickens from sleeping there, and all they are doing is sleeping right by the blocked nesting box that they used to sleep in. I’m not sure what they are going to do. After reading online I read that over time they would just learn to roost over time, and that I could put them manually on the roosting bars. Will they learn over time or will they have to be taught? Also, I have a feeling my perching bars are a bit low, does anyone have any ideas on how I could make higher ones?

 

[springvalley123]

How old are these young birds, and is there a picture? Birds will naturally roost/sleep where they're used to, so they're simply trying to sleep in their usual spot, which for some crazy reason, the mean human blocked off...

 

[rosemarythyme]

How old are these birds, what breeds (some breeds don't often roost, like Silkies), exactly how high/low are the roosts (photos would help), and are there any adult birds?

Short answer would be to simply pick them up and put them on the roost, if you don't want to wait for them to figure it out themselves.

 

[Jl neighborhood flock]

How old are these young birds, and is there a picture? Birds will naturally roost/sleep where they're used to, so they're simply trying to sleep in their usual spot, which for some crazy reason, the mean human blocked off...

Okay, I’m going to see what they fo in the next few days. They may just move to a different place eventually anyway once they get too big to sleep In the nesting boxes. I just can’t have broodiness and poop in the nesting box. We have 3 now and will get more in a week or two. Here is a picture.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Can you get a photo further back of the entire set up? Certainly looks like a prefab which would explain the low roosts and lack of separation between spaces.

 

[Jl neighborhood flock]

Yes. Here is a photo. I only have 2 pullets and a cockerel.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Yes. Here is a photo. I only have 2 pullets and a cockerel.

These are not small birds as in banty. That is too many birds in it.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Yes. Here is a photo. I only have 2 pullets and a cockerel.

Thank you. Unfortunately that's going to be a tight squeeze if you were hoping to add more.

As far as the issue with low roosts, it's common in prefabs. Here's a good example of how to raise them: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-in-nest-boxes.1134399/page-2#post-17749535 though given the low height of the actual coop, you're probably rather limited on how much higher you can actually place them.

 

[Jl neighborhood flock]

Okay, thanks for the reference!