Warm weather--hens staying outside

[jeannedeaux]

I’m thinking how to do that. Was going to try to fit on wall between corner roosts—room for 3-4 of them so more spacing possible. But you think they’d be willing to go higher? Might be easier. Thanks!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I’m thinking how to do that. Was going to try to fit on wall between corner roosts—room for 3-4 of them so more spacing possible. But you think they’d be willing to go higher? Might be easier. Thanks!

Chickens always want to be higher. We have some roosts 20 feet up in my shed on top of a pen roof. I always find it interesting how each bird picks out where to roost. Some 3 feet up, and others get up in the rafters even.

 

[starri33]

I have 12 hens and a rooster. All are at least 14 months old. Last year when it was warm, a few of them stayed outside the henhouse and I had to grab them and reopen auto door, insert them, and re-close. I thought it was just because they were young and still determining the pecking order in there. However, it is now getting warm again and anywhere from 2 to 6 of them stay out very late. I've changed the auto door closure to 10 pm (it is very dark by then) but there are always a few still sitting on the coop's porch roof or on the top of a little nursery run I built. They are inside the very large caged area, but I've had trouble with weasels cutting through any fencing plus the top is covered in chicken wire which many animals can pierce. I want them inside the hen house with the auto door closed to feel completely secure. There are at least 13 linear feet of roosting poles so I think overcrowding is not an issue. It's true they fight over the nest boxes (I have four) so perhaps there are social issues but once it gets dark, why can't they just go in and sleep? Short of having to go out every night to reopen door and manually put them inside, what can I do?

I'm wondering if their roosts are not high enough to make them feel safe? mine go from roughly a foot off the ground to the top one being at about 6 ft, I have 16 hens 2 roos, most of them get up on the very highest, there are generally 3 that are on the one second from the top and my newest roo is down from there. how is the ventilation in the coop? it might be to warm for them at night. During colder weather do they go in?

 

[aart]

Confused about the 'L' shape mentioned earlier....building looks square to me.
Roosts across corners are not efficient, IMO, full length can't really be used.

 

[starri33]

I've updated status. Here are photos of (well-ventilated) coop. Thanks.

is the gray building shown in your picture attached to your brown building or is it separate? if the brown building is all they have, it's a crowding issue, as for the Roo? it's not going to matter where he is for crowing, I've had mine crow at 3AM before. This is what my roosts look like, they are laid out like a ladder.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Confused about the 'L' shape mentioned earlier....building looks square to me.
Roosts across corners are not efficient, IMO, full length can't really be used.

I believe the human area cuts into the chicken area, that's what I'm seeing.

 

[jeannedeaux]

Thanks to everyone. I’ve opened both windows to get maximum ventilation now that nights are warmer. I’m also adding a perch today the only place I can and up higher than the others. (To answer design question—interior is ell-shaped around nest box and entry area and grey building is unrelated shed). The hens haven’t used the nest box I added when they started fighting over the three they had so I hope the use new perch!