Roosting in the coop

[bigz1983]

Anyone here ever trained their chickens to roost at night where they want them too? I have a 8'x8' coop with large breed chickens and they don't use the roosting board it's a 2x4 about 3 feet off the floor. They sleep on the floor, top of the nesting box or in the nesting box instead of using the roosting board. Is it possible to train them to use the roosting board?

 

[SeaPolka]

You could try blocking off the nesting boxes at night

 

[Orps4life]

When I put a new roost up for mine I went and put them on the roosts for a few nights until they learned.

 

[aart]

Anyone here ever trained their chickens to roost at night where they want them too? I have a 8'x8' coop with large breed chickens and they don't use the roosting board it's a 2x4 about 3 feet off the floor. They sleep on the floor, top of the nesting box or in the nesting box instead of using the roosting board. Is it possible to train them to use the roosting board?

Absolutely!

Pics of inside of coop showing roosts and nests would be the quickest way to solve this problem. Also need number of birds and accurate measurement of roost length.

Roosts should be 1 foot higher than nests(or any surface you don't want them roosting on). Other 'roosting' places can be blocked with a steeply angled board or piece of mesh.

 

[bigz1983]

Roosting board is a 8 foot long 2x4 laid side ways and I have 9 chickens

 

[aart]

they don't use the roosting board

They don't use the 'roosting board' at all - none of them - ever?
8' isn't long enough for 9 birds.
It's enough for them to 'cuddle up' on, but not enough to fly up and get situated.

I would:
Add another roost going across the other way at about the same level.
Make sure both are a foot away from the wall.
Might also be more stable footing for them if turned wide side up.

Remove top row of nests, or cover them up, the 4 lower nests are plenty for 9 birds.
Put an angled(45 degrees or steeper) board on top of nests so they can't land on it.

The feed can is tough....might put a hinged angled board attached to wall.
Maybe like what I did here for my waterer,
'hinges' are just a couple wires looped thru HC and holes in board,
hook above holds it up if needed:

 

[bigz1983]

Ok I turned the 2x4 wide side up. Yeah I'm thinking I should add another 8 foot long 2x4 too. I put all the chickens on the roosting board tonight. None of them were using the roosting board...