Chickens roosting on wrong 'perch'!

[Curlykale]

After we got our hen-house we realised how badly designed it was, and have been adapting it bit by bit. I will post photos below to explain our current dilemma.

The original nest boxes are higher than the perches, (on the left by the triangular hatch) but as we were told that the nest boxes should be lower than the perches,we have put plastic boxes underneath as temporary nest boxes. (The girlies are only 16 and 12 weeks old at the moment so they aren't using them yet). We had planned to remove the original nest boxes but the 2 chickens have been sleeping in them. They have been perching on the narrow dividing wall between the 2 boxes. I don't know how they manage to keep their balance! This has made it very easy to keep the house clean as we just put a sheet on newspaper in each box and replace it every morning, and sometimes we open the little hatch a bit once they have gone to bed so the kids can give them a little stroke without the chickens flapping about. I'm a bit worried about them perching on such a narrow surface though. Will it damage their feet or be unhealthy in any way? If it is not good for them we will remove them this weekend. If we have to remove them will the girls find it traumatic to find that their usual perches have disappeared or will they happily sleep on the proper perches instead?

[RichmondHens]

Don't worry they wont damage their feet. Youngsters are fairly light and unlikely to damage themselves compared to some old heavy hen. It's likely that as they grow they will naturally select the bigger perches for more comfort. You may however wish to remove the nestbox at some stage anyway if you don't want to clean it out each morning prior to them laying in it. And no it won't traumatise them - they may chunter in annoyance or refuse to go to bed the first night because things look different, but that's about it.

[chris]

You could also, block the nestbox off with some wood or similar - so they can't get a grip on the nestbox edge. I have to do with with my lot, my youngsters will go on that part or sleep in the nestbox (or on top of the coop too).

[Curlykale]

Thanks for your reassuring replies but now I'm a bit confused. Will they lay eggs in the 'nestbox' then? I had been told that they prefer nestboxes low down and prefer to perch high up, so I assumed that as we have provided alternative boxes on the floor of the house they would choose those to lay their eggs in.

[bearded bloke]

Chickens will always try to sleep at the highest possible point that they can,be it an egg box (or it's divider),a purpose made perch or any other other structure,the higher off the ground the less the risk of predator's attacking successfully while they are asleep.

[Curlykale]

Thanks BB - I get it that they like to sleep as high as possible, but will they choose to lay their eggs in the highest nestboxes rather than use the ones lower down?

[chris]

I'd have thought so. I've seen coops with nestboxes waist height - where I got my recent birds from had this. Makes collecting them easier. If they lay on the floor, then just stick a cardboard box or similar to keep the nestbox contents in once place there I wouldn't stress about it, they're quite flexible with their setups!

[Curlykale]

I've put plastic boxes on their side on the floor of their house, with straw in. The 'upstairs nestboxes' which they sleep in just have a sheet of newspaper in which I change every day. I'll just wait until they start laying and if they lay in the upstairs ones I'll either block them off or remove them. Chris, I stress about EVERY thing to do with my chickens - I just want to get it right! Thanks for all your replies

[RichmondHens]

Don't stress about them, just ENJOY them!!

[kathyd]

LOL, true RH! My hens sleep where they feel like it Curly-kale, including the litter tray or the nest boxes, and ignore the perches as they see fit, however high or low things are. 3 are currently sleeping on top of the coop (in a secure outbuilding), and we've built a flat perch on top of the pointy bit to protect their feet, because we were worried about damage just as you were. They stopped laying in the nest boxes completely for a while, preferring under the coop, in a cardboard box, in the litter tray... but now some of them have moved back in again. This would bother some people I know, but if you can just relax and not worry, you'll enjoy them so much more. I've given up worrying - as long as they're happy and healthy and laying, I'm fine with that. Or even if they're NOT laying, as long as they're happy and healthy I'm happy!

[Curlykale]

Thanks RH and Kathy - you're right! I DO enjoy them, really I do, they are so adorable and funny. I just want to make sure I keep them as happy and healthy as possible. Everyone keeps asking me when are they going to start earning their keep, but the eggs will be a bonus for me - even if they didn't lay I would still love them to bits!! Must just try and chill out a bit about them