Pullets sleeping in nest box, not on roosts.

[rosemarythyme]

The bars are rather low and look a little narrow as well. I have my roost sitting about 2' off the ground - you don't have to go that high but they'll naturally want to get as high as they can. You look like you have some vertical space so try lifting them to 18" if possible. For the bars, you can use a 2x4 (mounted either way, some people have the narrow edge up, some wide) or large branches - the one I'm using is about 3" diameter tapering to 2.5".

 

[Mr Potatoes]

Ok, I think the problem is solved.
I moved the roosts in front of the nest boxes, and this morning they were all sleeping on the roosts! However, they'll begin laying in a coupe of weeks, so how do I get them to lay in the boxes and not sleep their?

 

[chickens really]

Ok, I think the problem is solved.
I moved the roosts in front of the nest boxes, and this morning they were all sleeping on the roosts! However, they'll begin laying in a coupe of weeks, so how do I get them to lay in the boxes and not sleep their?

I would wait and see what happens? Now they are Roosting so I think once you move it when laying starts, they will continue to roost...

Cheers!

 

[aart]

Ok, I think the problem is solved.
I moved the roosts in front of the nest boxes, and this morning they were all sleeping on the roosts! However, they'll begin laying in a coupe of weeks, so how do I get them to lay in the boxes and not sleep their?

Did you make the roosts larger and a bit higher?
Not sure why you'd move them in front of the nests??

Fake eggs in the nests might help get them to lay there.
You might have to cover nests an hour or so before roost time,
then uncover well after dark or very early in the morning.

 

[mamatink7]

Hello!
I have five 5-month old Faverolles who are nearing the egg-laying stage. However, they insist on sleeping in one of the nest boxes. All five of them. I've tried everything I can, and I've resorted to stuffing the box with a burlap bag. Hopefully that will work. I've also noticed that whenever they don't sleep in the boxes, they sleep on the floor of the coop. I have a perfectly good roost that they never seem to use! Any suggestions?

it's a comfort thing. Our 3 new to coop additions slept all together squished into a nesting box for a wk till they finally felt comfortable enough to branch out onto perches. They will move out when they feel secure enough, you can try but they'll keep moving back to nesting boxes. Don't feed or water into boxes though.

 

[IowaChicks]

We are new to this also, so I appreciate the input/feedback. We have 15 hens. Last night 7 of them were on the roost and the others were shoved into the nesting box. There were 4 hens in one box, 2 in another box and one on the divider between the two boxes scrunched down under the nesting box roof. This is what our coop looks like. The roosts are higher in the main area.
Thinking of trying the golf ball trick in the nesting box for decoys - has anyone tried that with success? Taking them out to put on the roost is not a great option as you can see the coop doesn't give much moving around space to get them out of the box and onto the coop.

We appreciate this website and are learning alot - thank you to the seasoned chicken farmers! We're just starting out and have a lot to learn. thanks for any feedback.

 

[aart]

We are new to this also, so I appreciate the input/feedback. We have 15 hens. Last night 7 of them were on the roost and the others were shoved into the nesting box. There were 4 hens in one box, 2 in another box and one on the divider between the two boxes scrunched down under the nesting box roof. This is what our coop looks like. The roosts are higher in the main area.
Thinking of trying the golf ball trick in the nesting box for decoys - has anyone tried that with success? Taking them out to put on the roost is not a great option as you can see the coop doesn't give much moving around space to get them out of the box and onto the coop.

We appreciate this website and are learning alot - thank you to the seasoned chicken farmers! We're just starting out and have a lot to learn. thanks for any feedback.

Welcome to BYC!

Frankly, sorry, that coop is not big enough for 15 birds....it's what, about 3x6?
1 foot of roost length for each bird is a pretty good 'rule of thumb'.

Yes, the fake eggs can work very well to show them 'where to lay' when they are ready to lay.

 

[junebuggena]

We are new to this also, so I appreciate the input/feedback. We have 15 hens. Last night 7 of them were on the roost and the others were shoved into the nesting box. There were 4 hens in one box, 2 in another box and one on the divider between the two boxes scrunched down under the nesting box roof. This is what our coop looks like. The roosts are higher in the main area.
Thinking of trying the golf ball trick in the nesting box for decoys - has anyone tried that with success? Taking them out to put on the roost is not a great option as you can see the coop doesn't give much moving around space to get them out of the box and onto the coop.

We appreciate this website and are learning alot - thank you to the seasoned chicken farmers! We're just starting out and have a lot to learn. thanks for any feedback.

That coop is too small for 15 adult birds. And the dummy eggs in the nest boxes does nothing to keep them from sleeping in the nest boxes, it just shows maturing pullets where to lay. First, make sure your roosts are wide enough to accommodate your birds. Most average sized hens need roosts that are at least 3 to 4 inches wide. You also need to be sure there is adequate roosting space for all, at least one linear foot of roost per bird.

 

[IowaChicks]

The coop is about 7' x 4' and the plans said it accommodated 12 chickens. We didn't intend on 15 chickens but that was what came in the order originally (figuring attrition), and they are all healthy and doing well so far, so looks like 15 it is. They will be 19 weeks old on Monday. They slept in a pile for the first many weeks and then began roosting. they have all at one time or another been roosting, so not sure why the pile in the nesting box now. Temps are only in the 50's/40's at night right now, so not sure about being too cold. Maybe thinking they're still just "young" and want to huddle together.

Hmmm...will need to think through what an addition or additional coop would look like.

 

[junebuggena]

The coop is about 7' x 4' and the plans said it accommodated 12 chickens. We didn't intend on 15 chickens but that was what came in the order originally (figuring attrition), and they are all healthy and doing well so far, so looks like 15 it is. They will be 19 weeks old on Monday. They slept in a pile for the first many weeks and then began roosting. they have all at one time or another been roosting, so not sure why the pile in the nesting box now. Temps are only in the 50's/40's at night right now, so not sure about being too cold. Maybe thinking they're still just "young" and want to huddle together.

Hmmm...will need to think through what an addition or additional coop would look like.

7x4 is large enough for 7 adult birds at most. Get a bigger coop, or reduce your flock size.