I have 6 girls, all like to roost on the top roosting bar. The issue is, that 4 can fit up there if they are wing-to-wing. The next rung down in the roost is usually occupied by one more girl. The last/lone girl ends up on the edge of the nesting box. With that said, you can all imagine the mess in that nest box in the morning. It was a good idea to build the coop with 3 nest boxes instead of 2, funny how things turn out.
Well, last night after they were all in for the night, I went into the coop and there again were 4 on the top rung of the roost and one on the next bar down and one on the edge of the nest box. I moved the one from the nest box along side the one that was alone on the next bar down. This morning the nest boxes were all clean. (Yipppieee!!!).
My question is, if I keep moving this one girl from the nest box to the roost, will she eventually get the hang of it and go directly to the roost bar instead of the nest box? She is the bottom of the pecking order if that matters.
Also, The top rung of the roost is crowded with 4 girls up there. The last one to arrive always has to face the wall and I'm not even sure if she actually gets to roost (sit) or not. The roost bars are 34" long. Should I attempt to move her down a rung? Will that disrupt the pecking order? It would give them more room on the top rung. It would make 3 girls on the top rung and 3 on the next rung down.
You can see the inside of my 4' x 6' coop by going to the webpage and going to coop construction and scrolling down.
Anxious to hear your advise as it is already dusk in CT.
Well, last night after they were all in for the night, I went into the coop and there again were 4 on the top rung of the roost and one on the next bar down and one on the edge of the nest box. I moved the one from the nest box along side the one that was alone on the next bar down. This morning the nest boxes were all clean. (Yipppieee!!!).
My question is, if I keep moving this one girl from the nest box to the roost, will she eventually get the hang of it and go directly to the roost bar instead of the nest box? She is the bottom of the pecking order if that matters.
Also, The top rung of the roost is crowded with 4 girls up there. The last one to arrive always has to face the wall and I'm not even sure if she actually gets to roost (sit) or not. The roost bars are 34" long. Should I attempt to move her down a rung? Will that disrupt the pecking order? It would give them more room on the top rung. It would make 3 girls on the top rung and 3 on the next rung down.
You can see the inside of my 4' x 6' coop by going to the webpage and going to coop construction and scrolling down.
Anxious to hear your advise as it is already dusk in CT.
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