[AlecF]

My two hens, bought from David Bland about 9 months ago as point-of-lay pullets, never got the hang of perching. My perch is of the right height, size and shape, and it's both rigid and level - and mite-free. But they really won't use it, despite having placed them gently on it every evening for the first few weeks, and intermittently since then.

In fact, they've now got everything completely back to front. They roost (and poo) together in the nest box and lay eggs in a nice clean part of the floor. Not altogether a bad thing, I've decided, as I collect my composting material so easily from the box and the house stays clean! They've laid an egg each every day without fail and are perfectly contented, so maybe I shouldn't really worry?

I've been keeping hens for many years and never encountered such mixed-up things. Any ideas?

Alec.

[barley]

I've got 10 hens and the top of the pecking order older girls get the nice warm nest boxes to sleep In
and the bottom of the pecking order new girls get the perch 
and one poor soul who is such a wimp gets the floor .

probably as you only have 2 they have the pick of the best spot to roost

[ghost61]

Snap, Barley! Bottom of the heap gets the perch, the others the nest boxes but they do lay their eggs in the nest boxes. I do clean them out daily so no poo to put them off!  Now they are at home for the winter and in the Eglu, bottom of the heap gets to sit by the door, top bird in the nesting area and the middle one behind her!

[Sassy]

Just a thought, is the perch above the nest boxes? 

[ghost61]

Mine are higher than the nest boxes, but if I was a chook, I'd go for the nest box too! Nice and comfy, and none of that balancing act! 

[barley]

mines a home made box

nest boxes to the top and side - and 2 under the top ones

one perch seats about 5 to 6 hens

like ghost I just do a quick depoop in the morning

in fact they are spoilt rotten

here they are making themselves comfy

[joyfull]

after having a bantam get eye infections from sleeping in a nest box from pooh deposited over night I would always advise that you keep on trying to get them to roost on their perches. If they keep refusing then block the nest boxes off over night.

[Sassy]

Take care using hay for nest boxes. It is often dusty and contains spores that can affect respiratory tracts. As they eat it it can cause blockages as well

[barley]

thanks for advice both - always helpful to hear how others manage their hen houses

[AlecF]

Thanks to all for your advice. Tried filling the nest box with bricks at night as a deterrent, that only made things worse - one squeezed in to perch there anyway, then laid a (cracked) egg on a brick first thing the next morning! In any case it would be difficult to block and unblock the nest box as I'm not around at dusk or dawn, as I have one of those wonderful automatic door-minders from Germany.  I think I'll carry on the way I am, constantly cleaning and adding clean litter to the nest box. At least my compost heap gets a regular top-up. Maybe it's all down to the way the pullets were reared - do some breeders use perches and others not, I wonder.

Sorry for the delay in thanking all for the comments (and those lovely pictures too). Just returned from attending an emergency in my son's little flock - a bad prolapse -  which I had to deal with by my poultry-dispatching gizmo.
Alec.

[BabbyAnn]

When mine first went into the coop, all but 1 crowded into the nest boxes - there was a lot of squawking and thumping about at first and one day I peeked inside to see one of the bigger (bully) on top of another.  Within a few weeks, none sleep in the nest box and now use the perch