Roosting, and sleeping

[aart]

Nice Job...and good pics!!
It would be pretty easy to block(and unblock) the nest area from the access lid,
a piece of cardboard would do the trick until you see if you can 'train' then to sleep on the roosts.

 

[BY Bob]

View attachment 1590202 View attachment 1590202View attachment 1590203 View attachment 1590204 View attachment 1590205 View attachment 1590206 View attachment 1590207 View attachment 1590208 Ok so I have added a few more vents got rid of those useless holes and replace with 2 large vents 2 smaller around the corner and cut a bit hole out as aart suggested under the roof in the pen, I've also raised the roost bars as far as I think I can as any higher will start to cramp there head room, they sit a good 5 inches of the floor now, it's not ideal but the best it can b I think, main thing is that there should b plenty more ventilation now

Very nice job. They will like those roosts much more than before.

 

[Dazz172]

Nice Job...and good pics!!
It would be pretty easy to block(and unblock) the nest area from the access lid,
a piece of cardboard would do the trick until you see if you can 'train' then to sleep on the roosts.

Thanks aart, Yeh have that's what I have been doing so far , blocking off their nest box and putting them in on there roost bars just after dusk and locking them in, how long roughly u think I should need to do this? Or do I just keep testing them for when they just go in on their own? They only lay in the nest box now so I'm guessing after a while of doing that they shouldnt want to sleep there right?

 

[aart]

Thanks aart, Yeh have that's what I have been doing so far , blocking off their nest box and putting them in on there roost bars just after dusk and locking them in, how long roughly u think I should need to do this? Or do I just keep testing them for when they just go in on their own? They only lay in the nest box now so I'm guessing after a while of doing that they shouldnt want to sleep there right?

I'd block nests for a week, then try not blocking them.
Do they fit well on the roosts?
Laying in nests will not guarantee they won't sleep in them.

 

[Dazz172]

I'd block nests for a week, then try not blocking them.
Do they fit well on the roosts?
Laying in nests will not guarantee they won't sleep in them.

Ok I've been doing it for almost a week now so a couple more nights and I'll try them without, yeh they fit alright on there, I've been out a couple times after putting on the roost to sneak a look at them and they all on the roosts fitting ok don't seem to be cramped up. Will b good for winter I suppose and they can get nice n close to eachother

 

[Col1948]

I had a coop very similar if not the same, I had 3 hens to start with and they used to sleep in the nest, I thought it was normal till I learned better.
Anyway I got a shed and converted it to a coop and got 2 more hens, sold the small coop, but some said later that if you keep the old coop it may come in handy for a broody hen or a sick bird.

 

[Col1948]

I had a coop very similar if not the same, I had 3 hens to start with and they used to sleep in the nest, I thought it was normal till I learned better.
Anyway I got a shed and converted it to a coop and got 2 more hens, sold the small coop, but some said later that if you keep the old coop it may come in handy for a broody hen or a sick bird.