DH and I spent some time working in the coop today, working on a project that I hope will make our coop more economical and less time consuming.
When DH first built the coop, almost two years ago, it had thirty-six laying boxes and no roosts.
We added the roosts last year.
Today, we removed some of the laying boxes, as most have been unused due to strange chicken logic that says they must lay in the same three boxes no matter how many are empty. If you have chickens, you understand that logic. It’s just how they are.
So, we tore out over half the boxes, going from 36 to 16. We put up new roosts in place of the removed boxes, with a droppings board beneath.
The testing committee (as you can see) consists of Pip, Pavel, Felicia, Maxie and the Dalmies.
They seem to approve of the finished product, although there were many complaints lodged during the in-going process.
It is my hope that this change will result in less time spent cleaning, because all Ill really need to do is clean off the roosts and dropping boards. And also it should save us money because I won’t have as many beds to fill, so the wood shavings should go a little further.
There a Chick 
Chickens are a rare breed in their way of thinking. I just my teenage girls to lay in their house. That was yesterday but again today their eggs were in the common area. They will not roost in their house maybe I need to add a roost board like you did. The Golden Girls think both houses and the common belong to them. Oh well the newbies will have to get tough or die. God bless.
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Mine don’t have a choice. I lock them inside at night so they roost or sleep on the floor. During the day they free range. Or pour because the weather won’t let them free range.
The teenagers will learn. They just need time and the confidence that the big girls won’t hurt them! Good luck!
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I love how your nesting boxes have privacy curtains 🙂
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So do the hens, believe me! It’s just cheap Wal-mart cloth that I stapled in.Nothing fancy. I change them once a year, usually in the spring.
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