Roosting and laying box questions

[bluetrain]

We have 9 White Rock hens (we think all hens) and 1 very large roo.....none of them seem to roost, they hang out near the door to the coop watching the goings on of our two dogs that are penned up......my question is how can you get them to roost? Part of my concern is they are all about 18 weeks, so laying should start in the next week or so and the next boxes are on the same level (height) as the roost....how will I get them to lay in the boxes?

Thanks for any insight!!

 

[MIKE555444]

You really need one of the roost to be higher than the nest. Normally they go to the highest roost. You might try to shut them up in there coop for a few days to get them to explore the roost more.... Have the nest blocked off until they take to the roost better.

 

[bluetrain]

Well none of them roost...that I have seen...the roo and a few of the hens have hopped up there while I am filling the feeder, but not really hanging out up there......

 

[MIKE555444]

You can wait until after dark and put them up on the roost so they wake there the next morning... It seems to help when they are slow to learn and have no older hen to follow after.

 

[bluetrain]

LOL...haven't thought about that...we shall see.

Thanks for the idea.

 

[MIKE555444]

No problem

Good Luck!

 

[cmom]

I put a golf ball in each nest box. That seemed to help.

 

[GwenDellAnno]

So.... my hens are 3 months old and all are sleeping in nest boxes. So I should be blocking off the nest boxes until they are old enough to lay... so they don't get used to sleeping in the next boxes?

 

[underground chickenman]

Yep.

Rule 1: provide roosts of suitable size and height from the get go (within two weeks of hatching) and move up in height and size as the chicks grow. All roosts should be comfortable, meaning flat side up (no round roosts) and a little wider than the feet are long from front to back, and easy to reach. They probably won't sleep on them until they are older, but they will get used to perching early on.

Rule 2: block off nest boxes until they are reliably roosting for the night.

Rule 3: put at least one roost suitable for all your chickens above the highest nest box and easily accessible, including steps or ladder, etc., to get to the top roost, if necessary.

Rule 4: they should start roosting on their own, but if not, go in after they are asleep and quietly move them to the roost. This shouldn't take more than once or twice.

Rule 5: If none of the above works, eat them.

 

[GwenDellAnno]

Thanks! I did have roosts from the get-go but they all seemed to want to cram into two nest boxes instead of on the roosts. (and yes.. the roosts are higher). So I would have four chickens in one box and four in the other with the rooster on the perch outside one of the boxes. Go figure. So yesterday I blocked off all the nest boxes so they can't get in. I didn't check last night (son closed up the coop) but I'll keep my eye on it to see what they're doing. Should be OK though!! Glad I caught this thread before they got too comfortable sleeping in there!! (and well before they started laying eggs).