roosting problems

[jtr]

well i went out last night and put my 10 9 week old rirs on the roost because they werent using it and i need them to so they wont sleep in the laying boxes. i dont know if some stayed on all night or not i know some got off because i went out and checked. any way heres the question how long will i have to do this to get them in the habbit. thanks for your help

 

[jtr]

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[Oghdoff]

I would either remove or cover the nesting boxes so they cannot get in them. They will eventually learn to use the roost.

 

[chicmom]

Hi JTR, that's something that they will eventually do on their own, as they get older. You really can't train them to do it......One thing you can do is cover those nesting boxes so they can't get in there, until they're around 17 week old, then open them back up.

At first, alot of chicks that have just gone from the brooder to the coop will cluster together on the floor. That's pretty normal behavior. Eventually they will use the roosts.

Hope this helps,
Sharon

 

[clairabean]

Some of my girls PREFER the nesting boxes to sleep at night. Actually two like to snuggle up together in one box. I figure, as long as they are all tucked in at night, what is the big deal?

Besides 9 weeks is a bit young. Are the roosts too high for them?

 

[bryan99705]

First....is the nesting boxes the same heigth as the roost? roosts should be higher. Do they have a ladder to reach the roost? their leg strength is still developing and they may need help for now. Don'y suggest setting them on the roost yet as they may hurt themself hopping down.

I set up a ladder about 12" wide at about a 45 deg angle with rungs about 8" apart to the roost all made out of 1 1/2 " saplings. This gave the birds a way to learn they like to roost. Letting birds sleep in a nest box leads to a very messy bux and nasty messy butts because they poo a lot while sleeping. (that's why poo boards are so nice, they catch about 75% of the mess on the coop floor)

 

[7L Farm]

Quote:
You don't want them pooping on your eggs. I'd put fake eggs in them & make sure your roost is higher off the ground than the nesting boxes. They like to roost as high as possible. If their young birds their curious & will scratch around in the boxes looking for bugs. They might even kick the fake eggs out. Just keep putting them back that's what I did. I never covered mine & they always lay in the boxes.

 

[jtr]

i have the nesting boxes covered they did not just come from my brooser they have been in my coop for about 5 or 6 weeks im going to keep putting them on it at night because thats what most people i have talked to have said to do i think it will work thanx for the ideas anyway

 

[jtr]

Quote:
i have 4 roosts one is lower than my highest nesting box but that is just to help them get up because three are highier than the boxes

 

[cmom]

My birds were sleeping in the nest boxes. I put milk crates in the nest boxes in the evenings and took them out in the mornings for a week. It worked. I did it with my hens and with my pullets. Also I put a golf ball in each nest box. I also made sure the roosts are higher than the nest boxes. The birds tend to go to the highest spot to roost. My original roosts were at the same height as the nest boxes. I have raised it to just above the boxes. It's no fun when they get used to sleeping in the nest boxes and then you reach in and get poopy eggs. This happened to me in the beginning. I thought it was cute. I finally got tired of cleaning the poopy eggs and the poop out of the nest boxes...