Pullets sleeping in nesting box?

[aart]

The nesting boxes are in line with the the highest roosting bar, so I now know I need to address that issue and lower the nesting boxes or raise the roosting bars. The total roosting bar space is 8 feet of 2x4s with wide side up. Currently all chicks could fit on one bar. With room to spare.

Are these your only birds?
Probably better to lower the nests.
Pics would help immensely if you want specific suggestions.

I have had many chicks sleep in the nests..so I rigged a cover.
Close it an hour before roost time, then uncover when I lock up after dark.
Easy Peasy! Also very handy when breaking a broody.

 

[Criticalicious]

Chickens are social animals. They can and will learn from older birds, given the opportunity. If no older birds, then you have to be the momma and teach them.

About a month before adding babies, I had transitioned the adults to a rat proof feeder. It took them about that long to get used to it and learn how to use it. The babies figured it out on their first try! Since it's always been there, the babies show no fear of it, although they're too little to reach the food while standing on the bar but they sure do try.

 

[CityslickerHomestead]

These are my first and only babies, so no veterans to teach them the ways.
I will implement a combination of tactics to break them of sleeping in the nesting boxes!

1: block the nesting boxes
2: raise the roosting bars
3: lower the nesting boxes
4: if/when the nesting box block is removed, relocate any stragglers to the roosting bars at bedtime.

 

[Bettyboop7499]

I have eight, nine-week-old pullets. They used to sleep in a dog-pile on the floor of their coop (night time temps range from 26-35F). Three days ago I saw all but one dog-piled into a nesting box at bed time. I assumed they were trying to stay warm. The one loner I think has bad vision and is a scaredy cat, so she is usually left out. Also the box only fits seven of them.

The nesting boxes are in line with the the highest roosting bar, so I now know I need to address that issue and lower the nesting boxes or raise the roosting bars. The total roosting bar space is 8 feet of 2x4s with wide side up. Currently all chicks could fit on one bar. With room to spare.

Will they grow out of this or do I have to intervene? I don’t want them to be cold so I haven’t bothered moving them. One of my chicks is a “failure to thrive” and still has her chick down and some scraggly teenage feathers. She relies on the bigger girls to cuddle her.

"Failure to Thrive"... awe poor girl! She will end up being your best layer! That's not a fact just my prayer for her.

Do you have older chickens that are roosting on the bar? At eight weeks I would think they should be roosting. I introduced ten new chicks, I guess I didn't do it right because they sleep on the floor of the coop and only get on the roost when the older chickens are not there...I hope as they get older they will bond more. Anywho back to you!

How big is the coop? If they are not roosting yet you could pile up some hay in a corner, they should be able to get warm in that. I do worry about the none feathered one especially being alone, she may need supplemental heat. I don't know where in MI you are but it dipped down in the 20s here the other night!

 

[Bettyboop7499]

And here I thought chickens would just naturally gravitate towards the bars. I have a lot to learn.

I put roosting bars in the brooder and they all Roosted on there own.

 

[Peppercorngal]

Of course I disagree with almost everyone. My chicks did the same thing. Started out on the floor, then moved to the upper nesting boxes and finally started roosting on the very top roosting bar! Chickens have instincts but grow into some of them slowly. I was given adult chickens that were raised without roosts at all. After 4 months here, they were roosting! I say just let them be, they will grow up and move to the roosts before you know it!

 

[NorthernChick1]

my roosts and nesting boxes are at the same height (my fault I need to address this) and they are ALWAYS in the nesting boxes! I read somewhere that if you put a ''curtain'' at the entrances of the boxes they will only go in to lay and not to sleep because its dark? I was thinking of doing this after lowering my boxes.

 

[Susan Dye]

I have a "mini" coop for new chicks. My newest 3 EE's just turned 9 wks and have been allowed access to the main chicken yard to mingle with the hens. They currently sleep in the nest of the mini coop even though there are two roosting bars. Personally, I'm not the least bit concerned. They will join the the hens in the main coop when they are getting closer to laying and I'm sure they wont have a problem roosting. They already roost on the edge of their run during the day. I even saw one roosting on a branch of the holly bush in their yard. My last group did the same thing. I thought I was going to have to block their access to the mini coop, but they were more than happy to move into the big girls coop as soon as they were big enough. I'm sure these new little ones will do the same. So far they have been doing a remarkable job of inserting themselves into the main flock which makes me even more comfortable letting nature take it's course.

 

[t3wine]

I have a low perch and a higher perch. Young ones will start sitting on the low perch (1 ft high) at about 3-4 weeks during the day when the hens are outside. At 9 weeks your chicks are old enough to stay warm while roosting. If you go in at night and put them on a perch (in the dark) they will generally start perching/roosting. It’s fun to watch as they get older they will eventually want to roost on the higher perch. Depending on pecking or they may or may not be allowed.

 

[marina hernandez]

I have a question, regarding the roost bar, i put a 8 foot round wood curtain rod about 2" of diameter , they are 6 week old and just 2 week in their new coop, they sleep well there, did you think I should change to a 2 x 4 bar? did you think they are suffering in that round polo?