Why do my Chickens Roost on the Nesting Box?

[DrakeMom]

HEEEY! Now that was a sharp idea! Were did you get that one?

 

[Sequel]

I've got a hen that does that! It's my profile pic. My bunch are weird though, the others all want to sleep alone and she wants to cuddle so she cuddles with the nest box. I've got to straighten it out, I have to be sure and get the poo out before someone wants to lay eggs.

 

[aart]

I rigged a permanent hinged cover, plywood and some cardboard.
Cover an hour or so before roost time, then uncover when I lock up just after dark.

 

[DrakeMom]

Okaay… So how do they not think of to get in the gaps at ends?

 

[DrakeMom]

Okaay… So how do they not think of to get in the gaps at ends?

As you can see, I'd make a very mischievous chicken!

 

[aart]

Okaay… So how do they not think of to get in the gaps at ends?

That has happened just once, only knew because of egg in nest, she really needed lay I guess.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Lot's of great ideas given hope it helps

 

[CindyinSD]

Hard to tell without birds in the pic to suggest perspective, but those roosts look a little high for little ones. I use one like this:

Your little ones could take the bottom rung. The big (more dominant) ones get the best spots on top. That makes it safe for the less dominant to roost below... big girls don’t care since they have the top “shelf”.

Cover the nesting boxes if you don’t want them in there. I have one I allow in a box at night since she’s bottom of the pecking order and ends up alone, no one to snuggle with. I just clean up when I open the coop.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

Like the others said, try covering thw nesting boxes at night. My chickens all did the nesting box sleep thing at first as well. The only thing thay worked was covering it. It took about a week, then they stopped trying. Although I have one chicken that still refuses to roost. She sleeps under the roosting bar, on the floor. She can roost, because she sits on the roosting bar in the run (which is higher than the coop one), but doesn't want to ar night. She is not lowest in pecking order either.

 

[DrakeMom]

All ya'lls are SO helpful!!! They youngest chickens are adults so it's not that it's too high. They maybe shoulder high on me and I'm 5' 4''. I'm gonna try covering them. THANK-YOU!!!