Just an odd thing. Ive got plenty of roosts but my roo and 2 hens are sleeping in the nest boxes. My other hen likes the top of the bookcase we are using for the boxes. Seems odd since i kept reading about them roosting for the night. Any ideas why?
Are your nestboxes higher than your roosts? Chickens instinctively want to go as high as possible to roost. If your nestboxes are higher, that's where they'll end up. Another possibility - have you checked for mites? Many mites live in the crevices that joins the roosts and come out at night to feed. If they are being tortured by mites when they are on the roosts at night, they'll look elsewhere for a place to sleep. Another possibility that just occured to me - what are your roosts made of? Chickens prefer a flat surface to roost on. They don't want to grasp with their feet all night like a caged bird would. They use their feet to get steady and then release their grasp and rest on their keel bone. I use 2 x 4s with the 4 side up for roosts.
Interesting about the mites~ Thanks gritsar... My DH said our roo roosted in the nest to keep a watch over the girls. The nests faced the roosts but it seemed that he would change it up on occasion
Havnt seen leg mites. But the nest do end up higher. Also when he came he was alone without roosts so maybe just got into a nestbox habit lol. See how it all turns out
I had a rooster who roosted with the hens for a while, and then decided he preferred to sleep in a nest box. The roost is perfect, 2 x 4 on the wide side, plenty of room, no mites...he just liked it in the box.
I had a phoenix that would sleep in the nest box with his favorite hen. He slept on the outer part while she was in the back. Sometimes he chose his own box to sleep on. I would ask him if he got kicked out of bed and made to sleep on the couch. lol My silkie roos sleep on the roosts. The cockereals sleep on the floor.
Quote:Sounds like that it may be the roost aren't as high as the nestboxes that is the problem. You can break them of the habit, since poopy eggs are no fun, but it takes awhile to do it. Just a little FYI - they can get several type of mites, not just leg mites. You can check for them at night, using a flashlight. Go in the coop after everyone is roosting (or in the box, whatever), pick up a random chicken, turn them bottomside up. Look around the vent area. Mites will look like little pieces of brown or black pepper walking around. Edited to correct my english. Half asleep.
I have a mixed flock, no roos. But my two Leghorns sleep in the nesting boxes and my RIR sleeps on the floor in the hen house. The other four sleep on a roost in the caged area. (In our barn) There is plenty of room so that they all could roost to sleep. They just don't.
