Sleeping in nesting box

[SquawWoman]

Hi!

I have 15 hens and one rooster in my flock. I just recently finished my coop and run and they had been in a large pen for three months. Six of my hens bonded (they are a month younger than the rest) and they use the roost. The others sleep on the ground on top of my rooster! They recently moved into the nesting box area to do this. I have blocked that off (no one is laying yet) and they are still sleeping in the ground in top of him . Any advice? Oh, and should I expect eggs soon as I observed the rooster mating with my largest hen today.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hi!

I have 15 hens and one rooster in my flock. I just recently finished my coop and run and they had been in a large pen for three months. Six of my hens bonded (they are a month younger than the rest) and they use the roost. The others sleep on the ground on top of my rooster!

Sounds like you need more roosting area. Figure about one linear foot per bird. They will eventually form one cohesive flock. How old are they?

They recently moved into the nesting box area to do this. I have blocked that off (no one is laying yet) and they are still sleeping in the ground in top of him . Any advice?

Are the roosts higher than the nesting boxes? Typically, once chickens are old enough to give up the "cuddle puddle" on the floor, they want to roost as high as they can get. So your roosts need to be higher than your nests. And there should be either some type of top on the nests, or "poop trays" under the roosts, to prevent poop from raining down into the nests at night, because goodness knows you don't want poop in the nests!

Oh, and should I expect eggs soon as I observed the rooster mating with my largest hen today.

No, roosters are no real indication of the pullets' maturity, more so their own male hormones. Instead watch for more redness in the girls' combs and wattles (not pink), and if they squat for him or for you. You can also do vent checks, they'll look full and moist as they near "point of lay," or POL. If they run screaming from your rooster, they're not ready.

 

[SquawWoman]

They are 17 weeks. The roosts are high. The lowest 14” from the ground with each subsequent 10” higher. Definitely higher than the boxes. Definitely enough room for all of them. Weird dynamic with my roo abs his emerging hormones. Tries to bully me but I won’t have it. (Don’t tell anyone, but he kinda creeps me out when he looks at me and does the velociraptor sounds)

 

[SquawWoman]

Sounds like you need more roosting area. Figure about one linear foot per bird. They will eventually form one cohesive flock. How old are they?


Are the roosts higher than the nesting boxes? Typically, once chickens are old enough to give up the "cuddle puddle" on the floor, they want to roost as high as they can get. So your roosts need to be higher than your nests. And there should be either some type of top on the nests, or "poop trays" under the roosts, to prevent poop from raining down into the nests at night, because goodness knows you don't want poop in the nests!


No, roosters are no real indication of the pullets' maturity, more so their own male hormones. Instead watch for more redness in the girls' combs and wattles (not pink), and if they squat for him or for you. You can also do vent checks, they'll look full and moist as they near "point of lay," or POL. If they run screaming from your rooster, they're not ready.

Thank you! Still learning this game.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Thank you! Still learning this game.

Sure thing! We were all newbies once! I'm still remodeling the hen house I had built 13 years ago because of all the mistakes I made, lol. I didn't give near enough thought to ventilation for one thing, and who'da thunk a plywood door would rot from years of rain and snow, I ask you! There's more but I won't bore you. We're here to help, so ask away.

 

[SquawWoman]

we used LP siding panels. It is a laminated plywood. We built my father in laws shed from it 30 years ago, painted it and it still looks great! We got it at Lowe’s. Not much more than plywood if that helps.

 

[SquawWoman]

Sounds like you need more roosting area. Figure about one linear foot per bird. They will eventually form one cohesive flock. How old are they?


Are the roosts higher than the nesting boxes? Typically, once chickens are old enough to give up the "cuddle puddle" on the floor, they want to roost as high as they can get. So your roosts need to be higher than your nests. And there should be either some type of top on the nests, or "poop trays" under the roosts, to prevent poop from raining down into the nests at night, because goodness knows you don't want poop in the nests!


No, roosters are no real indication of the pullets' maturity, more so their own male hormones. Instead watch for more redness in the girls' combs and wattles (not pink), and if they squat for him or for you. You can also do vent checks, they'll look full and moist as they near "point of lay," or POL. If they run screaming from your rooster, they're not ready.

 

[SquawWoman]

Lowest roost is higher than nest boxes, they are off to both sides and stick out of the coop. Lowest roost is 14” off of ground each subsequent is 10” higher. The roosting bar is 6 foot long.