Sleeping in Nesting Boxes

[JakRat]

hello,
My nest boxes are "upstairs" or their coop (its an a frame) and the roost is "downstairs" where there water, and food and play area is. They roost during the day, but at night they go upstairs and sleep in the boxes... sometimes one is in the nest and the rest roost on the outsides! I dont mind cleaning the boxes since I clean their coop anyway and the eggs are gross at all and I wash those anyway, but the upstairs is to small for a big roost like that, so I am not sure what I should do... they seem happy enough???

 

[jafo]

I agree with the priors, raise the roost(s) as high as you can and use at least 2x3's instead of the branch, or pole you have there. I have a ladder effect for the roosts, and they're offset 12" each step in height, 12" high, 12" back. above the poop board. I have 3 levels, and it's first come first serve at the top. Then the rest are on level 2. Our coop is 6' high and the top 2x3 is 16 inches from the roof. Depending or what breed, you should allow at least 16" wide for each bird, (large breed)so a 60 " roost will fit 6 birds. We still are waiting on our first eggs (this month maybe) and the only time they use the nest boxes, is when the Roo is bieng a pain. It's a good place to hide.

 

[WitksChicks]

Ok, I've been reading this thread, and I am now concerned that my nesting boxes are to high.

Here is a pic of when I had them covered because they were being used for a mosh pit. I now have them uncovered, as all 6 girls are roosting on the top two roosting bars just to the left of the nesting boxes.

Can anyone tell me if I'm going to have an issue with them not laying (when they start) because the roost bars are too close in height to the nesting boxes.

I'd rather have to change the height now, rather than later because it's going to take some re-construction to do that, as I have an egg door on the wall behind the nest boxes.

 

[BroomFarm]

I had a problem similar to yours; I had a two-tiered roost that was large enough for our 8 birds, but only the top rung was high enough to please them. They would squabble over that prime real estate, with the "losers" going in the nesting boxes. After reading several posts on here, it was apparent what the problem was, but I just wasn't sure how to FIX it.

After looking it over several times, I figured out something that has worked very well. I bought some 1.5" wooden dowel rod and a 1.5 " Forstner bit (it's a drill bit that leaves a flat-bottomed hole). I used the drill bit to bore holes in some of the framing of the coop, mostly the 4X4 posts. The dowel rod barely slid into the holes, but I added a little glue on the end and ran a screw, at an angle, through the wood and into the dowel, so that after the glue dried, it was very secure.

This resulted in 4 new perches that are as high up as possible in my coop, while still allowing a little head room. At first, the girls did not like this idea at all, but after they figured out how easy it is to go from the top rung on the existing roost to one of these condos in the sky, they loved it! The four who usually won the battle for the top rung of the roost now use these individual perches and the girls who used to use the nest boxes take the top rung. PROBLEM SOLVED!

If you like, I can take some pictures to illustrate what it looks like now, as well as how the work was done.

 

[Judy]

WitksChicks, It isn't that they won't lay, it's a matter of where, and where they sleep. If yours are sleeping on the roosts, I don't see that you have a problem.

They do tend to go for the highest place to sleep, so with ladder roosts, there is usually some shoving and pushing to get to the highest roost. If I were going to change anything in that coop, it would probably be to change the ladder roost to a roost (or two) that is higher than the nests, if you can, and leave the nests alone; the pic doesn't quite tell me what you could do in there. The advantage of a raised nest box is they get a bit more floor space underneath the nests.

They'll always go for the highest place, even if the roost is uncomfortable to them. That's why they will sleep in skinny high tree branches rather than on a 2x4 in a coop. Anyone who has changed their roosts in the coop from a small round one to a 2x4 will tell you the birds look much more comfortable after the change, settle down and rest better.

For the metric folks, a 2x4 is approximately 4.5 cm x 9 cm, and you use the 9 cm side for them to roost on. Really large birds like an even wider place to sleep.

 

[WitksChicks]

BroomFarm

I'd appreciate the pics. I'm all for heading off an issue or squabble before it starts.

Thanks!!

 

[WitksChicks]

ddawn,


Here's a pic of the inside of the coop (it's 4' x 6').

You are correct with the more floor space, that was our intent, incase we had to keep them inside (we live in CT) during bad weather as our 8' x 16' run only has wielded wire over the top.

They aren't sleeping in the boxes anymore, and I have uncovered them 3 weeks ago. You are right that they squabble a little for the two roost bar, and one RIR always get religated to the next bar down.

One night I went out to check to make sure they were all in, and one on the top bar was actually standing with a leg on the roost bar and one on the support bar. I watched for a while, she seemed fine with being there, but I can't imagine that she stayed there all night.

I'd like to put another roost bar in there but I'm not sure where.

Thoughts would be helpful!!

 

[jafo]

WitksChicks, you could put a 2x4 ON TOP OF the two you have already at the wall line, where it meets your angle of the roof on the left wall, and where the other one is on the gable end on the pop door wall,,,,,,,skrew it to the left of the one on the left side of your coop, then skrew the other end to the right side of the one on the gable end. It would be at a 45 degree angle from wall to wall. and they could easily hop to it from what you already have. Hope this helps, and isn't too confusing.

 

[barred-rocks-rock]

Quote:
Put Golf Balls or wooden eggs in the nesting boxes.

 

[Judy]

Quote:
Hey, I like that. I was trying to figure out how to answer. Thanks!