Roosting in the nesting box

[Hawkshome2525]

I made a design for a new bigger coop. The store bought coops (2) and a few of the chickens were given to me by my uncle. I have added few more. I wanting a better system easier to keep up with and take the bottom. They have always been in these coops that didn’t have roosting rods. I’m proud of how my new shed size building turned out. It has nesting boxes are about 2 1/2 feet off the ground. I have 2 3 inch roosting rods that are higher than the nesting boxes and out in front of the box so poo will fall to the sand bottom. But the hens are still all gathering in the nesting boxes and filling them will poo and it’s so hard to stay on top of it. A couple of my new ones will roost on the rods but the others still all gather in the nesting boxes... why? What can I do to fix the problem?

 

[50-45-1]

Boy, a picture would really help here
Close the nest boxes off in the evening before roost time. Do it every day for a week or so and see if they can train themselves to go to Roost.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Hi, welcome to the forum. Glad you joined.

A photo might help, you never know what someone will notice. It's hard to give specific suggestions when we don't know what you are working with. It's probably caused by them being in the habit of sleeping in the nests but there might be something else.

Can they all fly? Some chickens like Silkies or Frizzles can't fly so may have trouble getting up to or down from the roosts.

I have two generic suggestions. As mentioned above, provided your nests are designed so you can do this, is to block the nests off after they have laid for the day to force them to find some other pace to roost. Hopefully that would be the roosts. Since they often want to lay at first light, I'd open the nests back up after it is too dark for them to find their way back to the nests. If your coop isn't that dark you may need to be out there fairly early the next morning to open the nests back up.

Another method is to place them on the roosts after it is too dark for them to move back to the roosts.

They may get the message pretty quickly with either method, it may take a while. But as long as you are consistent they will get the message.

 

[CluckerFamily]

They may need you to put them on the roosts after they have gone to bed.
Closing off the nesting boxes is a great recommendation, and then you open it up in the morning before they lay eggs.
And of Course: Welcome to BYC!!

 

[Hawkshome2525]

I made a design for a new bigger coop. The store bought coops (2) and a few of the chickens were given to me by my uncle. I have added few more. I wanting a better system easier to keep up with and take the bottom. They have always been in these coops that didn’t have roosting rods. I’m proud of how my new shed size building turned out. It has nesting boxes are about 2 1/2 feet off the ground. I have 2 3 inch roosting rods that are higher than the nesting boxes and out in front of the box so poo will fall to the sand bottom. But the hens are still all gathering in the nesting boxes and filling them will poo and it’s so hard to stay on top of it. A couple of my new ones will roost on the rods but the others still all gather in the nesting boxes... why? What can I do to fix the problem?

Thank you! I’ve decided to add a roosting shelf above the nest boxes, since my older hens aren’t used to roosting on rods. I’m also going to make another ladder ramp to it. I’m hoping that helps. The idea of closing off the nesting boxes was a good idea to change the habit.