Why do my Orpingtons prefer to huddle together on the floor instead of roosting or using their nests at night? How should I design their coop?

[StefneyRSA]

Why do my Orpingtons (bantam and regular) prefer to huddle up on the floor at night instead of roosting on their perch?

I’m busy drawing up plans for a luxurious coop for them to sleep in (this will be inside of a very big catio-inspired run/enclosure/aviary in my backyard). They’ve been in a temporary enclosure underneath the trampoline for the two weeks I’ve had them, and they never use their nesting boxes or roosting perch at night.

I’ve seen other chickens roost at night, but mine just pile up on the floor. Is that normal for this breed? The perch is about 2inches wide and solid wood, about 3 feet off the floor. During the day some of them will nap on the perch, and they love their nesting boxes in the daytime. But as soon as the sun starts to set they all run and huddle together for bedtime.

• When I build the coop, what would you recommend for them specifically?
I was planning on having several roosting perches, in addition to nesting boxes, with a mesh floor under the perches for droppings to fall through.. but will they ever sleep on roosting poles in the coop?
•Also, should I have smaller individual nest boxes or communal boxes that fit more than one chicken? At the moment their temporary boxes are rather large, and we only have two boxes for the 6 chickens, they seem to love cuddling up in there together for afternoon naps, they’re hardly in there one at a time. Will this change when they start laying?

Please share your Orpington’s sleeping habbits and pictures of coops. I need inspiration

*pics in comments of them preparing for their evening snooze in a fluffy floor pile. As well as their temporary nests for naps, and ideas for the coop I’d like to build (but now second guessing.)

 

[StefneyRSA]

Why do my Orpingtons (bantam and regular) prefer to huddle up on the floor at night instead of roosting on their perch?

I’m busy drawing up plans for a luxurious coop for them to sleep in (this will be inside of a very big catio-inspired run/enclosure/aviary in my backyard). They’ve been in a temporary enclosure underneath the trampoline for the two weeks I’ve had them, and they never use their nesting boxes or roosting perch at night.

I’ve seen other chickens roost at night, but mine just pile up on the floor. Is that normal for this breed? The perch is about 2inches wide and solid wood, about 3 feet off the floor. During the day some of them will nap on the perch, and they love their nesting boxes in the daytime. But as soon as the sun starts to set they all run and huddle together for bedtime.

• When I build the coop, what would you recommend for them specifically?
I was planning on having several roosting perches, in addition to nesting boxes, with a mesh floor under the perches for droppings to fall through.. but will they ever sleep on roosting poles in the coop?
•Also, should I have smaller individual nest boxes or communal boxes that fit more than one chicken? At the moment their temporary boxes are rather large, and we only have two boxes for the 6 chickens, they seem to love cuddling up in there together for afternoon naps, they’re hardly in there one at a time. Will this change when they start laying?

Please share your Orpington’s sleeping habbits and pictures of coops. I need inspiration

*pics in comments of them preparing for their evening snooze in a fluffy floor pile. As well as their temporary nests for naps, and ideas for the coop I’d like to build (but now second guessing.)

 

[StefneyRSA]

Why do my Orpingtons (bantam and regular) prefer to huddle up on the floor at night instead of roosting on their perch?

I’m busy drawing up plans for a luxurious coop for them to sleep in (this will be inside of a very big catio-inspired run/enclosure/aviary in my backyard). They’ve been in a temporary enclosure underneath the trampoline for the two weeks I’ve had them, and they never use their nesting boxes or roosting perch at night.

I’ve seen other chickens roost at night, but mine just pile up on the floor. Is that normal for this breed? The perch is about 2inches wide and solid wood, about 3 feet off the floor. During the day some of them will nap on the perch, and they love their nesting boxes in the daytime. But as soon as the sun starts to set they all run and huddle together for bedtime.

• When I build the coop, what would you recommend for them specifically?
I was planning on having several roosting perches, in addition to nesting boxes, with a mesh floor under the perches for droppings to fall through.. but will they ever sleep on roosting poles in the coop?
•Also, should I have smaller individual nest boxes or communal boxes that fit more than one chicken? At the moment their temporary boxes are rather large, and we only have two boxes for the 6 chickens, they seem to love cuddling up in there together for afternoon naps, they’re hardly in there one at a time. Will this change when they start laying?

Please share your Orpington’s sleeping habbits and pictures of coops. I need inspiration

*pics in comments of them preparing for their evening snooze in a fluffy floor pile. As well as their temporary nests for naps, and ideas for the coop I’d like to build (but now second guessing.)

 

[rosemarythyme]

You've had these birds 2 weeks you said... do you know if they ever roosted before at their previous home? Not all breeders/farms provide roosts so they may have never learned.

Have you tried manually putting them on the bars at night?

So the coops you have pictured aren't actually the ones you're using, just ideas you're considering? I see problems with most of them - roosts too close together, lack of ventilation, nests too high in relation to roosts. The fourth one is the best as far as ventilation but I can't see the interior, and those nest boxes will likely leak in rain.

Mesh floor in coop - depending on your climate that might be ok (I can't call it optimal, it is a predator risk) or it might not be. There's a few people who have their coop set up like that but I don't know the specifics of what exact wire opening size would be optimal for that sort of set up.

As far as communal vs individual boxes, I don't know if one is preferable over the other. I have individual but there's people who are perfectly happy with communal.

 

[wrathsfarm]

Í agree... And not to mention no over hangs to speak of, especially the last pic. Any wind driven rain on the sides or front and you have wet birds. Over hangs of minimum 1' are much nicer for shade and rain.

 

[BDutch]

Is this your setup?​

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Just adding a few ideas/comments to the previous reactions.

^^ If this is your coop it looks as if it is not safe. The maze of the hwc is way too large to keep small predators out. Good you want a new coop/run! For as long as you don’t have one:

Put the chickens on the perch every evening after dark. Sometimes you need to do this a few weeks/ up to 6 weeks to break habits.

Maybe the perch is high in relation to the ceiling. Lower it 1ft. Or add a second perch at 2ft high.

The perch size is best if the toes can curl over the edges (for most breeds).
The perch should have rounded / sanded edges for more comfort and to prevent them getting bumble foot.

The perch doesn’t look very stable. What happens if a chicken jumps on? Does it wobble a bit? A firm construction might help.

I prefer individual laying nest they don’t use for chilling. 2 is enough for 6 laying hens. If they don’t lay yet, close /block them for a few nights. If the hens start to lay open them and lay a fake egg in them. But don’t let them sleep there.

Look into the article section for coop ideas if you are going to build your own. In the reviews you can find comments on prefabs/flat packs. Most are too small, flimsy , have too little ventilation but are great for quarantine sick chickens or a coop for a broody.
Converting a small prefab shed or a children’s playhouse is often more successful.
The space you need inside the coop is highly dependant on the climate you live in and the safety of an attached coop.
If you look into it and make a choice what you want to make/buy/convert you can make a new thread asking advice on one specific design and add a link here for your followers.

The pictures of the 4 coops you posted, all have their own flaws.

Great you ask advice! This will certainly help you to avoid mistakes many of us have made in the past.
Sorry if my tone of voice wasn’t friendly.

 

[EddieSalita]

Just wanted to add that its not the first time ive seen or heard of Orpingtons preferring to sleep on the floor of the coop.
Just be aware, it's not something you may be able to prevent. They are big booty birds, and are comfortable with that.
So maybe allowing for it is something you need to consider.

You might be able to convert and raise that roost ladder to have a poop tray under it, which would also provide cover for the ground sleepers from nightly poop rain.

 

[StefneyRSA]

You've had these birds 2 weeks you said... do you know if they ever roosted before at their previous home? Not all breeders/farms provide roosts so they may have never learned.

Have you tried manually putting them on the bars at night?

So the coops you have pictured aren't actually the ones you're using, just ideas you're considering? I see problems with most of them - roosts too close together, lack of ventilation, nests too high in relation to roosts. The fourth one is the best as far as ventilation but I can't see the interior, and those nest boxes will likely leak in rain.

Mesh floor in coop - depending on your climate that might be ok (I can't call it optimal, it is a predator risk) or it might not be. There's a few people who have their coop set up like that but I don't know the specifics of what exact wire opening size would be optimal for that sort of set up.

As far as communal vs individual boxes, I don't know if one is preferable over the other. I have individual but there's people who are perfectly happy with communal.

Thank you so much!!

I’m in South Africa, in the suburbs. It’s usually HOT here, but we’re going into winter now (still warm, it doesn’t snow and rarely goes below 4 degrees celsius at night, 15-20 degrees celsius in the day, no rain in winter). Big trees for shade and a nice breeze in summer with tinted transparent plastic roof sheets going up over half the enclosed area for when it rains in summer.

The enclosed area will be predator proof, it’s 20x10feet big, and split through the middle to make two separate areas. At the moment I just used whatever we had available to basically keep my dog and cat out, and chickens in while we build the enclosure. No real predators here, but rather safe than sorry. But for now they’re safe.

As for the coop I’m planning, it’ll have mesh inserts on the sides to allow for cool air in the summer and ventilation. The roof will be plastic roof sheets (tinted for sunlight but still transparent) and I’ll make it sloped and have at least 10cm (3 inches) overhang. For the nests the roof will be double. Will post my sketch.

I’m more concerned with the layout inside… will a mesh floor be comfy enough for floor huddlers? Or should I put a solid floor and clean out bedding daily? Temperatures at night is not an issue in our climate. Evening thunderstorms are common though, but don’t last long.

As for roosting perches, I have no idea what they had where they come from… and I haven’t manually put them up on the perch. The one big hen likes to hop up there when one of the littles are there, but she doesn’t sit very long and then hops off. It’s stable enough.

How far apart should the roosts be in the coop? And why do people say they shouldn’t be allowed to sleep in their nesting boxes?

 

[StefneyRSA]

View attachment 3831319Is this your setup?​

• 
  IMG_8812.jpeg
  871.6 KB · Views: 8
• 

Just adding a few ideas/comments to the previous reactions.

^^ If this is your coop it looks as if it is not safe. The maze of the hwc is way too large to keep small predators out. Good you want a new coop/run! For as long as you don’t have one:

Put the chickens on the perch every evening after dark. Sometimes you need to do this a few weeks/ up to 6 weeks to break habits.

Maybe the perch is high in relation to the ceiling. Lower it 1ft. Or add a second perch at 2ft high.

The perch size is best if the toes can curl over the edges (for most breeds).
The perch should have rounded / sanded edges for more comfort and to prevent them getting bumble foot.

The perch doesn’t look very stable. What happens if a chicken jumps on? Does it wobble a bit? A firm construction might help.

I prefer individual laying nest they don’t use for chilling. 2 is enough for 6 laying hens. If they don’t lay yet, close /block them for a few nights. If the hens start to lay open them and lay a fake egg in them. But don’t let them sleep there.

Look into the article section for coop ideas if you are going to build your own. In the reviews you can find comments on prefabs/flat packs. Most are too small, flimsy , have too little ventilation but are great for quarantine sick chickens or a coop for a broody.
Converting a small prefab shed or a children’s playhouse is often more successful.
The space you need inside the coop is highly dependant on the climate you live in and the safety of an attached coop.
If you look into it and make a choice what you want to make/buy/convert you can make a new thread asking advice on one specific design and add a link here for your followers.

The pictures of the 4 coops you posted, all have their own flaws.

Great you ask advice! This will certainly help you to avoid mistakes many of us have made in the past.
Sorry if my tone of voice wasn’t friendly.

Thank you so much!!

I’m in South Africa, in the suburbs. It’s usually HOT here, but we’re going into winter now (still warm, it doesn’t snow and rarely goes below 4 degrees celsius at night, 15-20 degrees celsius in the day, no rain in winter). Big trees for shade and a nice breeze in summer with tinted transparent plastic roof sheets going up over half the enclosed area for when it rains in summer.

The enclosed area will be predator proof, it’s 20x10feet big, and split through the middle to make two separate areas. At the moment I just used whatever we had available to basically keep my dog and cat out, and chickens in while we build the enclosure. No real predators here, but rather safe than sorry. But for now they’re safe.

As for the coop I’m planning, it’ll have mesh inserts on the sides to allow for cool air in the summer and ventilation. The roof will be plastic roof sheets (tinted for sunlight but still transparent) and I’ll make it sloped and have at least 10cm (3 inches) overhang. For the nests the roof will be double. Will post my sketch.

I’m more concerned with the layout inside… will a mesh floor be comfy enough for floor huddlers? Or should I put a solid floor and clean out bedding daily? Temperatures at night is not an issue in our climate. Evening thunderstorms are common though, but don’t last long.

As for roosting perches, I have no idea what they had where they come from… and I haven’t manually put them up on the perch. The one big hen likes to hop up there when one of the littles are there, but she doesn’t sit very long and then hops off. It’s stable enough.

How far apart should the roosts be in the coop? And why do you say they shouldn’t be allowed to sleep in their nesting boxes?

 

[Penpal]

They will share the nest boxes, which means if you have smaller nests they will be crowding each other. Fewer but larger nest boxes. I would have a front opening for the nest boxes rather than having the lid on top. This way you don't have to use one hand to hold the lid up. Also, easier to clean out.

I got my rooster when he was a year old. He had been kept in a henhouse with no roosts. He never uses the roost, I even made another roost close to the ground.