roosting in nestbox entrance, what to do

[hoping4better]

I built a nest box that is about 33" wide and about 14" deep and about 14" tall. I figured that a community nestbox would be better than three narrow ones. The entrance is about 8" high and 30" wide and about 6" from the top of the bedding. For some reason they think it's a new roost and are pooping in the nestbox

. None are laying yet, but at about 17 weeks they could any time in the next month or so.

How do I discourage them from roosting on it? The 19 chickens have 2 roosting poles about 2.5 feet off the ground and they're about 6-7 feet long. Do I just need to put in another, lower, roosting pole or what?

 

[ScotianChick]

Where they are younger you could try lowering it a bit. Mine were like that... I just picked them up and put them on the roost at night until they got the picture. But I only had 6. My newest chicks I gave a roost which they've already started using and they are four weeks old. If you have more chicks, try giving them a roost to try early on