Pullets won't roost

[Strategic Chicken]

Hello chicken community, I have three nine-week old pullets in the Bay Area in CA, living in a coop. Ever since I moved them outside four weeks ago, they haven't gotten the hang of sleeping on the roost. Every night when I lock up the coop, all three of them are sleeping in the nesting box. I don't want them to form a bad habit of sleeping in their, so I removed all the straw from the box, but to no avail. I've been trying to block off the nesting box for now, but they still refuse to roost. Is there anything I can do? Please help. All answers are very appreciated!

 

[Tozan]

I blocked off the boxes then picked them up and put them on the roost... I did this a couple times in one night a few hours apart and repeated it on a few other days during that week.

 

[WingsysRoost]

You may have to put them up there until they understand where they're supposed to go. I had one who took almost a week to learn.

I give them the chance to go up on their own first, even if I know they aren't likely to. If they choose to sit anywhere other than the roost, I go in and place them up on the perch. In my experience, they usually stay there for the night once they're up so long as the coop is dark enough.

If they are really refusing to roost, the perches may be too high or possibly uncomfortable in some way.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Do you have any adult birds in with them? They generally learn to roost from watching others. If there are no older birds to copy, you can set the example by placing them up on the roosts each night once it's dark. You do not have to do that - given enough time most birds will roost on their own, but some people (me) do prefer the birds roost for safety or sanitary reasons.