I’m concerned that maybe the opening is too big to discourage roosting.
I decided that Joe Wooten’s suggestion would be the quickest to try, requiring as it does the least amount of total rebuild. Putting a top on the box was simple enough: Putting the box back into the coop turned out to be an ordeal. Should have cleaned the coop first thing this morning, for one thing.
So I’m crammed full-length inside the coop at an awkward angle, my back killing me, laying in liquid chicken shit, I’ve got a flashlight in my mouth and my glasses are falling off as I’m desperately trying to find the screw hole so I can get this damned bracket started, right? And this hen stomps into the coop, climbs out on a roosting branch two inches from my head and starts screeching in my ear, no doubt she thinks this is nuggets of life-enriching wisdom from her latest educational tome It Takes A Flock but I swear all I hear is screeching. And for about fifteen seconds maybe – though it seemed an hour – I rehearsed all the reasons why slugging a laying hen is considered a bad thing to do. I really just wanted to finish up and move on but I couldn’t get any fricking work done with her screeching in my ear.
It was seriously like being married*, except when you’re married you can’t do what I did, which is crawl out backward and backhand that feathered harridan right the hell out of the coop.
It was wrong. I know that. But it felt so right.
And after that re-mounting the box was only the work of a minute. Now if you’ll excuse me I need a bath and complete change of clothes.
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*Your mileage may vary, and I sincerely hope it does…
It was wrong of me, but I laughed out loud. Animals, sometimes, need to be taught some manners.
Well Joel, what are the early results?