Sleeping in the rafters

[newbiecooper]

We have a 12'x10' run with a 3'x5' coop/nesting area inside. The girls have always simply learned to climb the ramp up to the coop/nesting area when introduced to the flock. Once that happened, they slept up there with the older girls and laid their eggs. We now have four pullets that decided to sleep in the rafters of the run instead of climbing up to sleep in the coop. We've put them into the coop at night a few times, but they always go back to sleeping in the rafters. My concern is that once they start laying they won't be doing it in the nest area, but in the general run area instead. Any ideas about how to proceed?

 

[lazy gardener]

IMO, your pullets are not sleeping in the coop b/c it is too crowded. General recommendation is for 4 s.f. in the coop per bird, and 10 s.f. in the run per bird. Is your run completely predator proof: 1/2" hardware cloth over solid construction frame, including over the top, as well as a skirt buried at least below sod level 18" wide, or buried at least 12" deep? If not, your birds are at huge predator risk at night.

 

[anatess]

Just from my very meager experience... my modern game bantams always look for the highest spot. I have a "2nd floor" to my coop where it's just an open space above the regular enclosed part of the coop. There's thick bedding on it and a tree branch I stuck to the wall and that's where my modern game bantams go. It's the highest roosting spot in the coop (I don't have rafters). I put several nest boxes in that 2nd floor space, but, they've always laid eggs in the nesting box IN THE MAIN ENCLOSED AREA with the silkies. The silkies are just as happy to brood on the modern game eggs.

Yeah, I don't think this is normal...

 

[Patinas]

We have a 12'x10' run with a 3'x5' coop/nesting area inside.

How many chickens in that space?

 

[newbiecooper]

We have 7 hens now, but we've had as many as 8 with no crowding problems before. They always either cuddled together on the perch in the (elevated) coop or slept in one of the nest boxes. We've never had any sleep in the rafters before, and this is our fourth new group of 4. The run is completely secure, so predators aren't a problem. They free range in the back yard during the day. Might the new kids find their way up to the coop when they're ready to lay soon? Any ideas on how to attract them into the coop? Thanks very much to all for the input!

 

[hlhutchinson]

Looks like they have established a routine of sleeping in the rafters, it might take some time to breaks it. When you put them in the coop can you lock them in so they don't have the option of going back to the rafters? They say you should have 1 foot of roosting space per bird. However I have 4 feet for my roots and 4 chickens and they only use half of it makes me laugh I think you have all this space and your all cramed together

Note: I'm a newbie to all this, this is my first go round, but my chickens took some convincing that roosting in the cooo was better then sleep in the run. I had to put them in the coop 4-5 times before they started doing it themselves

 

[newbiecooper]

Well, tonight we put them into the coop and on the perch with the older girls, & they stayed! We left no way out for the night, so it's down the ramp in the morning. Fingers crossed that they get it! We'll see tomorrow night, I guess.

 

[Folly's place]

Many of my birds both large and small, roost in the coop rafters, eight feet up there. A few of this year's babies are roosting in my predator proof run rafters too. They will be interested in moving into the coop when cold weather arrives, and when they are more mature and not pushed around as much by the adults. Mary

 

[newbiecooper]

I like the sound of that, Mary! We put them on the coop perch again tonight. We'll see how they do.

 

[aart]

Is the run roost higher than the coop roost?
If so, it might be easier to lower the run roost.