We have our first eggs! But not on the box…

[aart]

Put some fronts on the nests, 4-6" high above bedding.
Put the nest perch just below to top of nest fronts.

How far is the top roost away from the wall?
How many birds?

Coop is pretty narrow for much traffic in there.
Can you give dimensions?

 

[Svyetii]

Where specificly (on the ground, on a roost ???) do your chickens go when it is time to go to roost? Once they are in the coop do they sit on the roosts?

Because they often free range during they day, they put themselves to roost on the roosts in the run (various branches and raised perches), rather than going into the coop. Since we’ve had some really cold weather this winter, I’ll go out and hand place them on the roosts inside the coop at night before I go to bed. But if it were up to them, I think they’d be happy roosting in the run all night.

 

[Svyetii]

Put some fronts on the nests, 4-6" high above bedding.
Put the nest perch just below to top of nest fronts.

How far is the top roost away from the wall?
How many birds?

Coop is pretty narrow for much traffic in there.
Can you give dimensions?

The coop itself is 3x6 with a height of five feet in the front and four feet in the back.

Our buff Orpington laid in the nesting box this morning, so hopefully after another day or two of being enclosed in the run for the morning, she’ll get the hang of things and stick to the nest box. Our Easter egger is at point of lay, but has yet to lay (unless she has a nest somewhere that’s really well hidden on the property). So I’m planning to keep them enclosed for several days until she starts laying and they are both used to the nest boxes.

Thanks everyone !

 

[rosemarythyme]

So your roost is extremely steep in angle which means lower bar is right under the top one, so birds won't use it. Upper bar looks too close to the wall but you'd need to measure it to know for sure. You want roosts at least 12" away from the wall, and at least 14-16" horizontally apart from one another.

How many birds total? I'd strongly consider making it just a single roost set at about the height of the window sill in the back (due to space constraints) if there's 6 birds or fewer in there.

Ramp looks fine, not too steep - I don't use them but really no reason the birds shouldn't be able to navigate that one.

 

[Yardmom]

Having inviting roosts in the run might be contributing to them not wanting to go in the coop for night. They should be fine there in fair weather if it is predator proof. Glad to hear you have a chicken who discovered the nest boxes. Hopefully all will follow suit. As I picture your set up, not going in at night should not be a factor of weather they lay in the nests or not. They just need to learn where the nests are.

 

[Svyetii]

So your roost is extremely steep in angle which means lower bar is right under the top one, so birds won't use it. Upper bar looks too close to the wall but you'd need to measure it to know for sure. You want roosts at least 12" away from the wall, and at least 14-16" horizontally apart from one another.

How many birds total? I'd strongly consider making it just a single roost set at about the height of the window sill in the back (due to space constraints) if there's 6 birds or fewer in there.

Ramp looks fine, not too steep - I don't use them but really no reason the birds shouldn't be able to navigate that one.

Thanks for the feedback. Honestly, the roosts are one thing I’ve been struggling with. I have a bit of a crazy work schedule, so I’ve been building this coop in chunks as I have time (the girls were in a chicken tractor for quite a while before this). As a temporary measure, they were actually roosting on a 2x4 along the front of the coop (see attached pic - this was actually before I had finished the inside and they were actually using the coop), but obviously that only accommodates 3-4 bird’s comfortably. The roosts pictured originally are removable and you can change the angle. But I agree, it’s a bit tight. Are you suggesting one roost along the long wall (where they currently are), as well as one along the back wall? As for number of chickens, I won’t have more than 6.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Are you suggesting one roost along the long wall (where they currently are), as well as one along the back wall? As for number of chickens, I won’t have more than 6.

Just 1 roost along the long wall should work as I believe you said the coop is 6' long on that wall? It's always nice to have the option of extra roost space but the recommended minimum is 12" per bird so one 6' roost should cover the needs of the flock. IF for some reason roost-time rumbles get out of hand, you can add one at same height on the short wall (so it's a longer L shape roost) but I think for many flocks the 12" per bird works fine.