Roost AND Nesting box?

[Kierciejo]

These might be silly questions, but we are very VERY new to raising chickens and our little chicks are just about old enough for their coop. We are converting a shed into a coop for them. We've built nesting boxes for them, but I'm a little confused on exactly what they need in a coop. When I looked at the nesting box designs I read that you don't want them sleeping in the nesting box. Does that mean that We need to provide roosting boxes as well as nesting boxes? How do the chickens know the difference? I was planning on putting straw down on the floor of the coop and wood shavings inside the nesting boxes. Help? Thanks!

 

[zinkie]

NO question is ever silly.

Chickens typically roost (sleep) on a board. A 2 x 4 works well. They do not need a box to sleep. They just kind of sit on the roost and sleep right there. I am sure if you do a roost search on here, you will be able to find pictures and the size(length) per chicken that is best for how many chickens you have.
SO nesting boxes are for laying... and a roost is for sleeping.

So my suggestions is do some searching on this site- it is a great tool to get ideas and learn from others, SO any people on here have great ideas and love to share. There is a learning section on here somewhere.

Good luck! And welcome to the chicken craze.

 

[sourland]

Most people provide roosts placed at a higher level than the nest boxes (chickens tend to roost at the highest point possible) so that the chickens do not poop in the nest boxes. Such roosts may be constructed from two by fours. Some folks even use tree branches for roosts.

 

[jesirose]

Does that mean that We need to provide roosting boxes as well as nesting boxes?

A roost is not a box, just a pole or stick. We used 2x2s, tree limbs, and 2x4s.

 

[13 chickens]

 

[tymimo]

Chickens will tend to sleep as high up as possible. This hearkens back to the days when chickens lived in the jungle and would sleep in the trees to avoid predators. Normally a roosting bar (or bars if your flock is large) is placed in the coop for the chickens to sleep on. The roosting bar should be placed higher than the nesting boxes to discourage the chickens from sleeping in them. If your chickens are not of egg laying age, you could also block off the nesting boxes until the chickens have begun sleeping on the roosts.

You can search the forums for more information on roost design and construction. Chickens can generally jump/hop/fly up to roosts less than 24 inches above the floor of the coop but will need a ramp/ladder to access higher roosts. Plan on approximately 12 inches of roost per chicken, although my 4 chickens tend to huddle close to each other and probably take up less than 24.

Hope this helps,

 

[SobbaChickens]

I have 4 nesting boxes, although 2-3 or even more, chickens will sometimes use the same box. And I have 2 roosting bars at different heights, I used one fence post (basically 1"x4") and one 2"x4" board. But obviously I could use a few more higher roosts as well Like the others have said, the chickens will go as high as they can. Typically 1-1.5ft of board is good per regular sized bird.

That's all I have in my 6'x8' coop. Right now I'm just using pine shavings on the floor and in the nesting boxes. I've been told to use straw but I've read that because it's hallow bugs can live inside and invest the chickens

Oh and under the lowest roost on the left side is where the nesting boxes are. Basically I wanted to create something that would allow the chickens to hop from one thing to the other because they are still young. And don't freak out like I did when you provide feet and feet of roost and they ALL decide to to sleep together on a tiny part lol

 

[MelissaTXRn]

Don't feel bad! At first, I thought they slept in the boxes too. Thanks to BYC!!!!!! I have learned soooooo much

 

[Kierciejo]

Thank you all so much! This is very helpful information and the pictures really help!!! They are not of laying age, so I think I will just leave the nesting boxes we built out of the coop until the get a little bit older. Thanks again!