Roosting and Laying Locations

[Montana]

Ga Grain, What did you decide to do?

 

[Ga Grain]

I havent had a chance to do anything just yet. We have been haveing nearly daily thunder storms. Hopefully by tomorrow things will have dried out enought to go figure something out. Even with all the rain the shelter kept them dry when they were smart enough to use it.

 

[Ga Grain]

Well, I have been trying the "place them on the roost after they are asleep" thing for a few nights. As soon as I put them up there they jump right back down. I have done the same thing with the nest boxes during the day, also with the same result. How will they learn if they dont even stick around long enough to check thinks out?

I do have some pictures:

Roost

Nest Boxes with pine shavings and golf balls

 

[shaggy]

just passing along information i have read elsewhere:

for the roosting area --- they don't roost on their feet --- they sit back on their keel bone (breast bone?)

as i understand 2x4's work great

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nesting --- after looking at your photo's --- looks like you can put a sheet of playwood across the top of the nest boxes to the cage to the right of it (chicken jail?) ... that would give the appearance of protection ... next would be to cover the front face of it

.... not sure how to accomplish this ... maybe put it on a hinge so you can open it up when you need to get in

 

[Momtofive]

We built a kind of vertical coop at one end of an 8 x 8 ft fenced yard. The back is solid plywood about 5 ft high with 18" sides, top, and bottom. The nest boxes are at the top with a ladder/ramp up to them and the roost is right below the nest boxes. We covered the whole front with a tarp with cut out doors for the nest boxes and roost. Our 5 girls have been very happy with this arrangement. We put some plastic eggs in the nest box when they got old enough to start laying and they got the idea pretty quick. For awhile they wanted to sleep in the nest box, I guess because it was up high, so I would go out after dark and move them down to the roost. It just took a few days for them to get the idea. Good luck. They are funny critters.

 

[kcfuerst]

Here is what I would try.



These are a couple of things I have learned. My hens like it dark and private to lay their eggs, and they don't like the ladder too steep.

Also, especially with standard breeds which are heavier, they like to roost on something solid like a 2x4 on its side because they lay on their feet on the roost. If they feel like they have to hang on for dear life, they will be uncomfortable and prefer to roost elsewhere, like on the ground.

Hope this helps.