Should I let them sleep in the nesting box?

[Amelise]

No, no sleeping in the nest box. but with chicken wire on the coop it might be good that they are hiding in the nest box.
but if you are bring the tractor in each night...

they are in the garage. I would have an outdoors, predator proofed coop if I could.

 

[David61]

I need to start building coops for people. It is easy for me because i know how.

 

[Amelise]

I need to start building coops for people. It is easy for me because i know how.

Sorry, I should have explained in my main post. I am not allowed to have a coop in my backyard. A larger run is easier to conceal. Having a small coop in the garage is a loophole.
I love my birds, they are one of my most favorite things. I clean their coop everyday. I show them at junior competitions. I take the extra time to bring them out in the morning and bring them in in the evening. They even get let out of the run into the yard and I sit and watch them free range.
We moved here with these birds. I didn’t choose to live in a neighborhood with an HOA. I didn’t choose for them to ignore me when I wrote an appeal. But I am not giving up my chickens.

 

[David61]

OMG!! You're a chicken outlaw. Whats your outlaw name?

 

[Amelise]

@rosemarythyme @aart

Highest roost is roughly 5 inches away from the wall. That’s where the hen sleeps. Lower roost has an open space behind it, with a wall partly coming down. I’d say it’s also placed roughy 5 inches into the roofing area.
The roosts are about 8 inches apart, and the highest roost is about 16 inches above the lowest roost.

If the issue is that it’s too small, I could encourage them to roost on the other perches outside the nesting area, in the “run” area of the garage coop. There is essentially a dropping board filled with wood shavings below these perches.

Also, I measured the run, and it’s roughly 120 square feet.

 

[Amelise]

OMG!! You're a chicken outlaw. Whats your outlaw name?

The Chicken Whisperer. Because when I talk about chickens, I have to do it real quiet.

 

[Amelise]

OMG!! You're a chicken outlaw. Whats your outlaw name?

Can’t let anyone besides the neighbors know lol

 

[rosemarythyme]

Highest roost is roughly 5 inches away from the wall. That’s where the hen sleeps. Lower roost has an open space behind it, with a wall partly coming down. I’d say it’s also placed roughy 5 inches into the roofing area.
The roosts are about 8 inches apart, and the highest roost is about 16 inches above the lowest roost.

If the issue is that it’s too small, I could encourage them to roost on the other perches outside the nesting area, in the “run” area of the garage coop. There is essentially a dropping board filled with wood shavings below these perches.

Also, I measured the run, and it’s roughly 120 square feet.

Those really are very close on both wall and close on roost-to-roost (due to the angle the bird on top can possibly poop on ones below, if they were actually there).

You could try getting them to sleep in the run area, but the pullets are actually doing the right thing by trying to sleep in the coop with the hen. You simply don't have roost space for them (not linear space, but space around the roosts). I don't suppose there's any plans to expand the coop?

 

[Amelise]

Those really are very close on both wall and close on roost-to-roost (due to the angle the bird on top can possibly poop on ones below, if they were actually there).

You could try getting them to sleep in the run area, but the pullets are actually doing the right thing by trying to sleep in the coop with the hen. You simply don't have roost space for them (not linear space, but space around the roosts). I don't suppose there's any plans to expand the coop?

I wish. Understandably, my family doesn’t want it taking up to much of the garage. We made it in such a way where it would be hard to expand. The “coop” part is actually separate from the “run” part, you can wheel them away from each other to clean it out more easily.
I suppose I could tear away that half wall on the coop part and somehow make the lower roost come out further, but they wouldn’t quite be under the same roof. It might be worth a shot though.

 

[Amelise]

Those really are very close on both wall and close on roost-to-roost (due to the angle the bird on top can possibly poop on ones below, if they were actually there).

You could try getting them to sleep in the run area, but the pullets are actually doing the right thing by trying to sleep in the coop with the hen. You simply don't have roost space for them (not linear space, but space around the roosts). I don't suppose there's any plans to expand the coop?

Maybe this would work?