If your birds are young you can close off the nest boxes until they're ready to lay, around 16 weeks. Put them on roost by hand if you have to so they know where it is.
Our 3 chickens are almost 6 months old. Two of them are laying. We have a covered, enclosed area for the chickens with a roost (a 2" board) across the enclosed area and a roost area with 3 nest boxs. All of a sudden they are sleeping on the roost (the 2" board ) all snuggled together. How come they don't fall off. I think they are there all night.
They were pooping in the nest boxes and all of a sudden they started sleeping outside.
Do chicken hawks come out early in the morning? My chickens love to get out in the yard to peck early each morning but I am so afraid of hawks. Usually I see them later in the day. I am very nervous and stand over the chickens with a rake in case. Can I "chill" a little?