My chickens have been laying very few eggs. That's not the point, but some friends recommended I put the nesting boxes on the wall to make them harder to get to, to rule out chickens being temped for a tasty treat. (eggs) Would this help?
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My chickens have been laying very few eggs. That's not the point, but some friends recommended I put the nesting boxes on the wall to make them harder to get to, to rule out chickens being temped for a tasty treat. (eggs) Would this help?
Would this be better on the wall, Makes them easier for you to collect where they will be concentrated in one area to make the chickens feel more broody? If the area is darkened It would be more private exactly and give the chickens a sense of security and isolation.
Also, top of nest boxes should be below the level of the roosts, or else birds will make for and roost on top of them, fouling (fowling?) the top with their droppings. As double insurance to keep them off, top of nest boxes should be sloped as shown.
Also, bottoms of these nest boxes are made of 1/2" x 1" welded wire. Any dirt, dust, or broken eggs that show up inside the nest boxes simply falls through the bottom and onto the floor. As shown, they are bedded with hay, which gets worn and dirty and is swapped out about once a month or so.
These are a modular unit that simply rests on the wall brackets. You can pick them up to carry outside for cleaning.
I'm for putting them on the wall. They will adapt, and you will have an easier time collecting their eggs.
Are there any other ways to incline them towards hatching their eggs? Where hens have been bred for so long to produce more and more eggs over a longer peroiod ot time one of the draw backs have been that they have lost the instinct to brood eggs. You would be lucky to have 1out of 50 hens today have the instinct to brood eggs I would estimate. Heritage breeds or silkies apparently are you best bet if looking for this feature.