Roost question!

[Dixiedoodle]

I have 13 chickens (heavy breeds). My roost is a 10 foot long 2x4 and there is a 'dropping board' under the roost..

Four of the chickens roost in about a foot section on the right and five roost on about a one foot section on the left.The others are all in one nest box! I was wondering if I put dividers on the roost, dividing it into three sections IF they might roost in the middle (the ones that are now sleeping in the nest box)! I thought about making three little 'huts' with slanted tops.. I clean the nest boxes and dropping boards every morning and it's no big deal but I thought they might feel more secure and start utilizing more of the roost..It's been 100 for a few days and they are still huddled together....

Any suggestions??

 

[daryl]

thats normal , there still kinda young im gessing, there still establishng the pecking order , mine jocky for the top spot on the roost every night , its normal chicken behavior, let them hash it out for themselves

 

[Judy]

I'd block off the nest boxes, at night if they are layers, and all the time if they are not laying age yet.

Sometimes you need to teach them to sleep on roosts, and that nest boxes are not for sleeping. Is the wide side of the 2x4 horizontal, so they have 3.5" to roost on? They need at least this; sometimes larger birds need an even wider roost, and you have some large breeds.

 

[2txmedics]

Dixie I had that problem, all my kiddos would squeeze into the nest area, I'd go out there and there was poop all in them...even with open roosts...turns out my roost were even with the nest boxes...so what I did was what a BYCer told me to do....

At night before they go to roost, block off the nest boxes...I did I only had a roll of chicken wire, I layed on there....did this for a few days, and during the day time I opened the nest boxes up....after a few days, and me also putting roost up higher for them...they no longer use them to roost but to lay....

 

[Andrew C.]

I am also considering putting a divider on my roosts I think it will work, go for it. Good thinking.

Cheers.

 

[Dixiedoodle]

Thank you for your replies..

11 of my birds are 23 weeks old...big but not laying--so, I guess they aren't mature...yet.

The roost is actually 6" higher than the top nest box.

The four that squeeze (and I do mean squeeze) into the nest boxes are 20week old EE and Ameraucanas.

The 2x4 is with the 3.5" flat for them to sit on.

I have tried standing in front of the nest boxes and MAKING them go to the roost but they just squawk and fuss at me...walk from one side to the other---like they are say--"DO you mind, it's bed time..'

 

[consdrs]

If they aren't laying yet they don't need access to the nest box. I would block it off totally for a couple days, day and night. mine all pile at one end of the roost. they have 7 ft of roost and use about 2 feet of it no matter how hot it is! you need to break them of sleeping in the nest boxes asap. pooy eggs are no fun...

Connie