Chicken bed

WhiteTiger · **Joined:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:01 pm **Posts:** 15

Hi everyone,

My two isa brown chickens have run of our 3 acre property all day and night. They have a nice big coop, but for a month or two now they haven't been returning to it. They've decided right next to our front door is more comfortable for them to sleep at night. They're safe here, there's no foxes or dogs, and the horse scares away anything that may come on the property. I was looking in the 'recycled' thread and someone had a great idea of making nesting thingo's out of desk draws. What we've done as a bed for our chickens now is we've taken a large draw and filled it with hay and put it where they sleep at night. Do you think they'll use it? Will it be comfortable for them?

Do you think they need anything else? They've been happily sleeping on the bricks for a month or two now so surely this is an improvement for them.

Looking forward to hearing your ideas

wickedwings · **Posted:** Tue Jan 24, 2012 6:43 pm

I would be surprised if there weren't foxes around, unless there has been an extensive control program around your area, and then it's just a matter of time before they move back in. If your chooks are sleeping beside the front door is that area secured from foxes? A better solution to your problem would be to pick the chooks up at night when they are roosting and put them back in their coop where you want them to sleep. Lock them in for a few days to a week and then see if they have gotten used to sleeping back in their proper coop. I really don't think catering to them by the front door is the best thing for them.

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

White Tiger,

Maybe you could put the chook bed inside the coop and tuck the chookies in at night. They would be much safe from predators and the elements.

Yes they would use the drawers as a bed and nesting box, I have two of them, they sleep in one and the other has a dummy egg where they lay and nest and even go broody in.

WhiteTiger · **Joined:** Sun Jan 22, 2012 8:01 pm **Posts:** 15

So cute!!! They're the photos I saw that told me what to do

Thanks for posting them in the recycle thread

monclare · **Joined:** Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:12 am **Posts:** 2

How high off the ground in the bed please

LOOLOO · **Posted:** Tue Jan 31, 2012 6:14 pm

I love the top picture she looks so content siting up there :lol:

LooLoo

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

We had built a mezzanine level in the chook tractor and placed the nesting box and dummy eggs there with a ladder for easy access.

The Pretty One laid her first egg in the dark corner of the roost area so we moved the nesting boxes on top of part of the roost.

The roost is about 25-30com of the ground.

The problem was that they all started sleeping in one of the nesting boxes as it was warm and cozy to snuggle up together in winter and stopped roosting on the perches.

viewtopic.php?f=6&t=12703

Hope this was helpful.

monclare · **Joined:** Mon Jan 30, 2012 9:12 am **Posts:** 2

Great thanks for that info

Petite Poulet · **Joined:** Thu Jun 09, 2011 7:17 pm **Posts:** 5219

Happy to be of assistance

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