[bajmoe]

I have just received my new hens, the perches are higher than the nest boxes, but some of the hens are sleeping in the nest boxes, so How do i stop my chickens sleeping in the nest boxes?

[BabbyAnn]

When I first got mine, 3 hens persistently wanted to sleep in a nest box (bearing in mind there are only 2 boxes so a lot of squawking and squabbles and one decided to sit on top of the other)  I just left them to it and now all 4 go to the perch without any encouragement from me 

[splash101]

It will take a few weeks for them to settle in and feel secure.

Some will always sleep in the nest box forever 

When mine go in, they huddle in the nest box but as soon as i shut them in for the night, they make their way onto the perches.

Give them a few weeks and if they are still sleeping in their nest boxes, try lifting them and put them onto the perches just after they have settled for the evening or try blocking off the nest box at night and remove in the morning. I think some people use a large upturned plant pot.

[Geo]

You could try putting  shoe boxes in the nest boxes at night and removing them first thing in the morning.
Give it a week or two and then try them without to see if they have settled for the perches.

[Sassy]

Lift them onto the perches every night. It is something to be discouraged. As above it is a good idea to block the nest boxes as well. If you do this you will need to be up very early to remove whatever you use to block them or your chooks will find somewhere else to lay!

[loretta cluck]

My girls will be 3 this year, and from day 1, and despite many attempts to change their sleeping habits, they all sleep in the nest boxes and on the coop floor.  They're all very happy with this arrangement, and the perches are there for them to  roost on, (they'd rather not)...I've ended up leaving them to make their own minds up, and I just make sure I clean any overnight droppings away, first thing every morning.

[bajmoe]

I'll leave  it for a while and see what happens then, i don't mind cleaning the nest box each morning, i just thought they were supposed to be using the perches

thanks for the replies

[Sassy]

If they have not used perches where they have come from they may need a bit of training.