Rooster insists on sleeping on top of the coop

[berferd]

We keep chickens to eat the spiders and ticks around the outside of our house. We have 3 hens and 1 rooster (Rhode Island Reds). I have a very strong chicken tractor pen, and the coop is inside that, so all the chickens are safe at night. But Sam, the 3 year old rooster insists on sleeping on the roof of the coop. He is safe but he gets so cold in the winter. We gave him a heated perch, and that helps, but he gets frostbite on his comb.
I just installed a Ceramic Heat Emitter, 75W Reptile Heat Lamp, over his perch, hooked up up through a dawn-to-dusk, and temperature switches. It will only run after dark, and only if it gets down to 32 F degrees.

Asking here for ideas on how to deal with this dumb bird?

 

[nuthatched]

There's not enough room for them all in the coop, so he's opting to sleep outside. Its also his #1 instinct is to roost as high as possible.

 

[berferd]

I think it is more a flock dynamic. There is plenty of room in the coop.
I guess I need to explain the flock.
Sam and Queen are what is left from a Tractor Supply purchase of 5 chicks, 2 roosters and 3 hens. The one rooster had to be put down as he was violent and abusive to the hens. Sam took over the rooster job magnificently.
And the two younger hens, Dumpling and Ramen are from a batch of pullets purchased a year later. So the flock is split into 2 factions, the older and younger.
Queen always sleeps with Sam (until it get too cold) on the roof with him. So in the coop it is just 2 chickens, the 2 younger hens Dumpling and Ramen. I have a second pen, with a second coop that I used to raise the younger chickens before introducing them to the main flock. But even when Ramen and Dumpling were in the other coop, Sam still slept on top of the main coop. Chicken Machismo I guess :-D
I suppose I could try to break this behavior and make it a habit of picking him up and putting him in the coop at night. But he really hates that.

Update: First night with the heater thing, Queen seemed to enjoy it, Sam didn't like the "new scary thing", so he slept flat on the roof.

 

[Yardmom]

This is instinct to sleep as high up as possible. My daughter takes the birds off the top of the pen every night (not predator proof on top for us.) and I can't climb up like she can. Unfortunately we have birds that have been doing it for years, and moving them doesn't change what they do the next night.

 

[Mrs. K]

IMO - the dog house type coop is the problem. It is so low to the ground, I would imagine that the roost is just a few inches off the ground. When you added the roost on top of the house, that is the premium roost. It is not really big enough for more chickens, so the top two chickens get to roost there.

I am estimating (could be wrong) but the coop looks like it is about 2x3 feet + the nest area? That is enough space for two chickens, maybe 3 if they are bantam size.

The run does look secure, you called it a tractor - do you move it? It does look like it is near a full size building? A lot depends on the climate, and what works for you. If it is predator proof, it will probably work just fine. If you have wind protection, you probably don't need the added heat, as frost bite is better protected with a dry coop, rather than a warm one. You do have great ventilation outside of the coop so it should not be a huge problem. I would worry more about the ventilation inside that box, do not close the door on that box, as the moisture level will rise drastically in there.

If you want them to all roost together, inside a coop, you need a different style coop. If this is working for you and your birds, don't sweat it.

Mrs K

 

[berferd]

Thank you for the reply, yes the pen has lever arms with big cart wheels. The thing is pretty heavy, it also sits on strips of hardware cloth on the ground to prevent dig-under. The coop is supported in the pen on a frame, and the front has a trailer hitch that I can use a trailer dolly on. So wheels down, unplug the power and CCTV ethernet and away it goes
The second pen is a copy of the first, but I made it out of PVC Pipe, wrapped in hardware cloth, and a screen door made out of 2x4 and hardware cloth. Much lighter! And heavy/strong enough to deter predators (except bears, which is about the only predator we don't have here).
They both have wifi thermostats controlling fans and heaters in the coops, PTZ CCTV in the pens and inside the coops.
I admit the pen is a bit small, hence I haven't gotten good roosts up. I should work on that. But they are never kept in it except at night, and when we are out of town.

The coops are https://newagepet.com/products/fontana-chicken-barn. I like the plastic as it cleans well.
Been a long time since I build this, but I think the pen was similar to https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...able-kennel-10-ft-l-x-5-ft-w-x-6-ft-h-1125564

 

[Mrs. K]

I looked at the measurements - and I have not changed my mind.

• If it works for you and your birds, it does.
• If you want all four birds to roost together - you need a different coop
• Do not close that door for any reason, moisture will be incredibly high in a very short amount of time, damp chickens are cold chickens, and I would be extremely concerned about over heating in the summer.

It is not your flock dynamics, it is the size and number of birds.

Mrs K