Girls pulling hay our of nest

[Bondo Chicks]

For about a week now my girls are taking the hay out of there nests. We have 8 nests and they have the hay out of 6 of them Can someone tell me why?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Welcome to the forum. Glad you joined us.

I don’t know any details of your situation, how old the hens are, whether they are laying, when you opened those nests to them, things like that. When asking these questions it usually helps to give a little background.

The lips are probably too low to keep the bedding in. There are different reasons they might be scratching in there, but simply raising the lip a few inches just might make all the difference in the world.

 

[TwoCrows]

Hello there and welcome to BYC!

If they are just now coming into lay, this is normal for them to get in there and tear up the nest boxes. They are getting prepared to start laying. This will stop once they start laying.

Ridgerunner X2 Make sure the lip on your nest boxes is high enough to keep most of the bedding in. You may need to add some wood to the front to keep everything in. However if they are vigorously scratching, some is going to come out.

Keep some fake eggs in your nest boxes if they are just now coming into lay. Mine were always looking for an egg in the boxes when they first started laying. Chickens like to know it is safe to lay in the box and a fake egg will fool them into thinking another hen safely laid hers there.

Enjoy your flock and welcome to ours!

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC!

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

It is relatively normal for newly laying hens to pull out hay and otherwise disrupt their nest boxes. Just keep putting the bedding back, and eventually, they should get the idea.

Good luck!

 

[Wyandottes7]

Welcome to BYC!

We're glad to have you.

 

[sunflour]

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

X2 on Two Crows' advice.

 

[drumstick diva]

Well that's chickens for you. Glad you joined the flock. Putting golf balls in the nest boxes will work too .

 

[Bondo Chicks]

My hens are 6 months old and have been laying since the end of August. The nest have been there since they were pullets, but did an addition for the nest in the Middle of September. The lips are 4 inches high. Do you think that is to low?

Thanks for your help this is the first time I have had chickens. What I know I've learned from the folks on BYC.