Sleeping in Nesting Boxes

[Metanoia]

conflicting info!!!! ahhhhhh

So I could raise the height a little, but should I keep the same perch or look for something that is square?


No trees, etc for my girls because they are in a large pen except when someone is home to supervise their free ranging. So coop or nothing for them.

 

[Skamaghetten]

I would say raising the perch is the over message. Mine must think my coop isn't high enough for them so they go to the trees. I can't be a chicken wrangler for ever, besides it's hard to fight instinct.

 

[tankernav1]

Ok, so this height of the perch.....ours is about level with where the nesting boxes are because they are up inside the enclosed little tree house part. They have to walk up a ramp to get there. They don't go up there but we figure they will in the winter when it's cold. So maybe right now I should put something down below on the floor of their run to nest in? Perhaps a crate with nesting material? I think I'll try that.

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
Okay, let's try and sort it out. You want your roosts higher than the nestboxes. The easiest roosts to make are 2 x4s turned with the wide, flat side (the 4" side) up. Chickens do not grasp with their feet all night long. They grab on and then relax their feet and rest on their keel (chest) bone. Having to hold on with their feet all night can lead to foot problems.

A predator proof coop is THE safest place for chickens at night. Lots of predators can climb trees. If they want to sleep outside and there's nothing wrong with their coop to keep them from it, then sometimes it's necessary to lock them in the coop for a few days, maybe a week until they get the idea.

 

[Metanoia]

Ok... so basically the consensus is something wider, and something higher. I shall see what I can wrangle on the weekend!

Last night I took Elsie out of the nest box and put her on the perch and checked later, and she was still there. I will keep doing that till she gets the idea as well.



Oh... It's winter here...we don't have snow or anything, but do you think maybe the reason she went to the nest box is cold, or comfort?

 

[M To The Maxx]

All Roosts must be higher than the nesting boxes.

 

[Rooster Cogburn Jr.]

Quote:
Ohhh people are telling you 2x4's. That's what you need. But I don't know what they call 2x4's in Australia. Just basic wall studs. Hardware stores have them pretty cheap. Do you have a Home Depot down there? I've found several scrap studs over the years I always grab when I can. I like to round the edges off on mine. I have mine 5 feet up. About shoulder height. But I don't want them jumping down so I have a series of ramps for them to climb up and climb down on to avoid foot and leg injuries.

Higher and Wider is the way to go. They'll love you for it

 

[cmom]

Quote:
Okay, let's try and sort it out. You want your roosts higher than the nestboxes. The easiest roosts to make are 2 x4s turned with the wide, flat side (the 4" side) up. Chickens do not grasp with their feet all night long. They grab on and then relax their feet and rest on their keel (chest) bone. Having to hold on with their feet all night can lead to foot problems.

A predator proof coop is THE safest place for chickens at night. Lots of predators can climb trees. If they want to sleep outside and there's nothing wrong with their coop to keep them from it, then sometimes it's necessary to lock them in the coop for a few days, maybe a week until they get the idea.

I agree.
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 seems to have 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..

 

[Metanoia]

Great. It is good to hear more people agreeing.

I am sure I can find something in the shed so that this alteration won't cost me anything (just like most of my coop...) I just need to remember to charge the drill before the weekend.

My coop isn't very tall, but I'll put the perch a few inches higher and see how they go.

Here in South Australia we don't have a Home Depot that I know of, but I have a Stratco and a Bunnings within 5 minutes of me. Handy! I also have a Fodder supplier 5 minutes away... very lucky for an urban area I think!

 

[Rooster Cogburn Jr.]

I saw 2x4's a few days ago for $2.97