Roosting and Nesting problems

[RollinWithTheStones]

So I built the roost, it is big enough for all the girls. It is higher then the nesting boxes. The banties roost in the rafters, my EE olive (unclipped wings) roosts in the rafters away from the banties, two of the girls roost on a rabbit cage (which freaks the rabbit out), my white cochin roosts on the rabbit run and then my EE Doris actually roosts on the roost bar, finally Noira tries to sleep in one of the nesting boxes. None of them are laying right now. I think if it can tomorrow I'm going to re arrange the rabbit cages to take away one of their spots.

Every night for a month I've went out and moved them onto the proper area. What other things could I do to get them to roost in the right area?

Here is a pic of the set up.


Nesting Problem, I have three places for them to nest, for awhile they fought over the back nesting box (one girl still tries to sleep in it). I have 6 full sized girls and 2 banties. Could I get away with just two boxes? Last 2 weeks they were laying eggs everywhere but the boxes.

Here is my current set up

 

[Life is Good!]

They will want to roost as high up as they can get. If your roost bar is low (and ceiling is high), they will improvise their own spot.

As for the egg laying issue (not using box), place a couple of golf balls or wooden craft eggs in the boxes. After a few days, they'll get the idea.

I have three boxes for 5 hens. Majority of the time, the eggs are all in one box. But they 'play' in the other two boxes - they'll go in, make a nest, hop out, check out another box, make a nest, hop out, go to favorite box and lay! Silly girls!

 

[cmom]

Try putting golf balls in the nest boxes and yes two nest boxes will work fine. My girls think the golf balls are eggs too.

 

[bairo]

2 boxes will easily work for you. X2 on the golf balls. As you already stated, move the rabbit cages.
My bars are at 3 foot, then 5 foot. They use the 3 foot to get to the 5 foot and 4 of them use the 5 foot to get to the rafters. They are zombies and they know it when roosting so they are looking for safe comfort. They are still young and trying to figure out where they feel the safest. As stated above instinct should kick in and they will want to get high.

 

[bairo]

just noticed in picture that door is below roosts. Do you close it at night? If not then they are keeping away from the draft coming in from below them.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

They push the golf balls out and play with them. Yes the door gets closed at night, both from the outside and the inside. Under the roost is a closed window.

 

[johnson215]

yes, they definitely roost where they want to.. i have 15 hens and they all have their established spot in the coop.. some even stay outside in the run on the roost out there.. i have 8 nest boxes and they only use 3 of them, most of the eggs will be in one box.. i find them on the ground and in the run occasionally. i guess they get too lazy to get in the nest box!!! they just drop them out where they please. my husband keeps golf balls in the nest box. sometimes you'll find a hen on one trying to keep it warm...

 

[Judy]

It's true they like to roost high, but keep in mind that large fowl can injure themselves jumping down from a high roost, particularly if they don't have lateral space to flap their way down. On the nest sleeping, you may have to block it off at night for a while before they will give up. I have done this by just putting a large object or two in there (I used empty gallon milk jugs) if that's simpler than covering that type of nest.