They choose to sleep outside...

[MissChick@dee]

They are trying to tell you something. Could be you’ll need a nite light for awhile (flashlight on the floor would work if you don’t have power) chickens have a difficult time seeing in the dark.
Could be
Mites you can only see them at night (again use a flashlight.)Could be you have a critter living in there.
Do some investigating. Something is off.
They just aren’t safe outside at night. Once a predator finds them they’ll be back for chicken dinner until they are gone. Best wishes

 

[PirateGirl]

One more question... have they ever slept in this coop? Is it that your chickens used to sleep in this coop and recently have stopped, or is it that they've never really roosted in this particular coop?

 

[CheepThrillsAcres]

I think the bigger question is WHY aren't they roosting in the coop.

You said you have 30 ft. of perches. How many chickens do you have? Are all the perches the same height? How far is the perch from the coop wall, floor, ceiling? How wide, or what is the diameter of the perch? What is the perch made of?

Have you checked your coop/birds for evidence of mites? Mice? anything else that might be disturbing to the birds?

5 roos, 12 hens (everyone gets along).
No mites or mice, found an old wasp nest in the roof line, but it's long since abandoned.
Perches are 2x4x12 (on edge) untreated pine, row one is 4 foot from back wall at 3ft high, row two is only two foot from the wall at 3.5 ft high and the last 6 foot is diagonal on the corner at 3.5 foot so prob only 4 foot usable on that one. Ceiling is 6ft high.

 

[CheepThrillsAcres]

One more question... have they ever slept in this coop? Is it that your chickens used to sleep in this coop and recently have stopped, or is it that they've never really roosted in this particular coop?

They've never voluntarily slept in the coop, when they were first moved outside, I'd put them up at night for the first two week, locking them in, but they have all decided outside is better. They are safe from predators, I'm more concerned about if they will get too cold. They come and go during the day when they want food/water/to lay etc, they just choose to sleep outside.

 

[PirateGirl]

hmm... it sounds as if they have plenty of room as well as room to turn around on the roosts (not too close to the wall or ceiling) and the roosts are all similar heights so they aren't all going for the one highest roosting spot... I'd try a light in the coop at dusk, as others said, flashlight will work, as this will make it more appealing... I do not know what else to suggest or what else to look for at this point...

 

[CheepThrillsAcres]

They are trying to tell you something. Could be you’ll need a nite light for awhile (flashlight on the floor would work if you don’t have power) chickens have a difficult time seeing in the dark.
Could be
Mites you can only see them at night (again use a flashlight.)Could be you have a critter living in there.
Do some investigating. Something is off.
They just aren’t safe outside at night. Once a predator finds them they’ll be back for chicken dinner until they are gone. Best wishes

Their coop and chicken yard are fenced and roofed, and that fence is inside a 1.5 acre 6 foot wooden privacy fence that the Great Pyrenees patrols at night, so I'm not worried about predators. I am going to install a light this weekend to see if they are just afraid of the dark. Havent seen any mites or other pests, but I'll continue to investigate. Thank you for your advice

 

[MissChick@dee]

I'll try lowering them a bit, they 'fly' from the ground to the rail, so I've never considered the height to be a possible culprit. Will do some rearranging and training and see how that goes. Thank you for your help

Oh sorry was looking at the railing photo couldn’t see it was wired.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

It could possibly be ventilation.
Chickens prefer fresh air. I wouldn't worry about those temperatures.
A friend of mine has a really nice coop her birds, like yours, only use for laying and food. They sleep on a roost in the predator proof run, year round. They've been doing that for years and it can get into the negative teens F.

 

[CheepThrillsAcres]

Oh sorry was looking at the railing photo couldn’t see it was wired.

No worries

 

[CheepThrillsAcres]

It could possibly be ventilation.
Chickens prefer fresh air. I wouldn't worry about those temperatures.
A friend of mine has a really nice coop her birds, like yours, only use for laying and food. They sleep on a roost in the predator proof run, year round. They've been doing that for years and it can get into the negative teens F.

Thank you for your comment! I'm so use to northern chicken rearing that birds not retreating for the barn at night worried me, but I'm glad that they don't seem to be in danger of the elements.