'Winging' it -ha- will they figure it out?

[mamacita0804]

Thank u all for the advice- I used a 7 ft long pallet for my 'floor' so I can sweep the poo away from nesting boxes- front was supposed to b window but then they started trying get up there - I went ahead used the 1X2 as a 'shelf' then used 8 ft long 3 inch diameter limb on top of that. - Raining now so they are under it instead of on it

 

[Hokum Coco]

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[mamacita0804]

@mamacita: POOP BOARDS are the [COLOR=FF0000]"BEST"[/COLOR] addition yet. Handles well over ½ of the poop in my set up keeps ammonia smell in check 3½" below roost excellent for catching eggs laid through the night (roost are in cups for easier removal and cleaning). I recently friction fit a piece of vinyl flooring over my poop board.it makes clean up even easier; Pop out; Scrap; Hose; Pop in. Winter months even easier flex over compost bin DONE! Easy peasy!.

That is an excellent idea! I also use vinyl flooring (found clearance roll 2x12 roll for 5 bux) The pallet has built in slats so I can 'sweep' it thru. They are still not getting into the coop yet tho. They still young and no eggs yet- did u physically put them in the 'nest' or roost or did they figure it out?

 

[Hokum Coco]

- did u physically put them in the 'nest' or roost NO

It is not a perfect world. Some times the chickens win. Despite our best efforts. They may be a kin to teenagers it could be just a phase they are going through, I have one or two chickens that sleep in their nest boxes I do not like it but I make cleaning them as easy for me as possible.
I would get some green scrubers to clean your eggs and maybe prayer might help.

Nest boxes
In my nest boxes I fold a feed bag to fit (nest boxes are 1 ft³). When a bag gets soiled; fold a new one; pop out the soiled; pop in the new. In the winter frozen poop just peels of the bag or shakes off with a bit of a flex.
I hold the vinyl flooring in place on my poop board with a few of these.

 

[LeenaB]

I use 1x2s with shelf brackets. I had the brackets left over from shelves I took down. They've worked great. I did orginally have my 1x2s screwed in- and one did fall down, hence the move to brackets.

 

[Ridgerunner]

If you are talking about a perch to help them get into the nest, that 1x2 would work fine. I’d just screw it at the top of that plywood. Screwed into the plywood like that it would be plenty strong enough and wide enough for them to land on when they hop up there. It sounds like you got a tree limb tied up there. That works fine too.

If it is intended to be a roost for them to spend the night, that’s not a good idea. As mentioned, it needs to be higher than anything you don’t want them roosting on or in, such as the nests. They poop a log at night and you don’t want that in your nests.

I use tree limbs for overnight roosts but a 2x4 works really well too, either short side up or wide side up. If you use a sawn piece of lumber I suggest sanding the corners round. This makes it easier for them to grip but the main reason I’d do it is to get rid of splinters.

I like removable roosts. It just comes in handy for different reasons. There are many different ways to do that. I just drilled a hole in the end of the roost and in the support and pegged it with a big nail.