Roost placement

[alixd]

Rosemary, thank you so much for your wisdom, I did not realize they had this right of passage. In our old coop I did not have this problem, but we had a mother hen that was nurturing and unfortunately I had to put her down recently at 17 years young. Our coop is predator proof, so I will let them sleep where they want.

Regarding the aggression, it seems to be getting better and there are places for her (road runner) to get away from the older hens. I had to separate road runner pictured for a week and give her oxytetracycline, its been over a week and she was going stir crazy in her cage so I let her out in the big coop, there are still proximity/personal space squabbles but things are getting better. Below are 3 pictures, far right road runner when she was ill, road runner today and far left our coop with the three other hens, 1 hen a oliver egger is about 4 years old, another hen another olive egger with big comb and laying is about 4 months, the easter egger I thought was a pullet but she seems older I got her with road runner (cream crested leghorn) about a month ago. The only one laying right now is the olive egger with the big comb. I'm still giving them half dose corid during this stressful period. I love your comments and appreciate your wisdom. Thank you. Alix

Also reading back on some of the responses, the measurements I gave you were for the roost (where they sleep at night) not the coop.

 

[aart]

the measurements I gave you were for the roost (where they sleep at night) not the coop.

I bit of nomenclature FYI.
For the most part, at least on BYC, the term "roost' is the bar they sleep on.
This bar is usually in an enclosed space with solid walls/roof called the "coop".
There is often an open space attached to the coop that is enclosed with predator proof mesh called the "run" where they often spend most the days.
Depending on climate/location the run can be partial enclosed to protect from wind and precipitation.

 

[alixd]

Hi, this is for

I would remove the perch from by the door and see if that helps. I would also replace the existing perch with a 2x4 laid flat. What are the dimensions of the coop in feet, lxw?

Hi BigBlueHen53, could you send me a picture of your 2x4 laid flat perch. I have tried to wait and see if my hen would go in at night but she still sleeps in the door entrance, with winter coming I thought I'd try the 2x4 laid flat perch.