BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying › Pyjama party and pooping in the nest box!
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Pyjama party and pooping in the nest box!

post #1 of 4
9/4/12 at 12:33am
Thread Starter 

Hey all,

 

All of my chooks bar one sleep in the nesting box instead of in the roosting compartment. That's 1 amber, 1 nera, and 4 pekins all in the nesting box which is 1x3ft. I have no real issue with it, except for all the poop in the morning. I would like the bedding to last more than a day and was wondering the best way forward.

 

I was thinking a little door from the roosting bit to the nesting box and only allow them through in the morning when they usually get let out to free range? I could also close this up just before bed time.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Warmly,

 

Richard

Reply
Reply

Featured Stories on BackYard Chickens

The Basics Of Raising Chickens - Raising Chickens 101
Raising Chickens on a Shoestring
Uncle Sam Expects You To Keep Hens and Raise Chickens!!
post #2 of 4
9/4/12 at 3:33am

divide that nest box into 3... they only need a 1 foot x 1 foot box to lay in... if it's smaller they won't all be able to pile on in and adding dividers isn't expensive

Reply
Reply
post #3 of 4
9/4/12 at 4:12am

Close the nest boxes off at night so they can't sleep in them, and they will have to use the roosts. Also make sure that their roost is higher than the nest boxes or this will always be a problem. After they start roosting for a couple of weeks you should be able to leave the nest boxes open and be fine, if not close them up again for a few more days. Cleaning nest boxes out every day gets old real quick so its better to retrain them as soon as you can

 

   Dan.

If  you ain't the lead dog the view never changes!
Reply
If  you ain't the lead dog the view never changes!
Reply
post #4 of 4
9/4/12 at 4:17am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by chickenbythesea View Post

divide that nest box into 3... they only need a 1 foot x 1 foot box to lay in... if it's smaller they won't all be able to pile on in and adding dividers isn't expensive

 

Cheers. Its a little hard to split the nesting box as it is a long one with a door in the middle.

 

Quote:
Originally Posted by DanEP View Post

Close the nest boxes off at night so they can't sleep in them, and they will have to use the roosts. Also make sure that their roost is higher than the nest boxes or this will always be a problem. After they start roosting for a couple of weeks you should be able to leave the nest boxes open and be fine, if not close them up again for a few more days. Cleaning nest boxes out every day gets old real quick so its better to retrain them as soon as you can

 

   Dan.

 

Thanks Dan.

 

I've made the door so will give it a go later.

 

R

Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying

Featured Stories on BackYard Chickens

The Basics Of Raising Chickens - Raising Chickens 101
Raising Chickens on a Shoestring
Uncle Sam Expects You To Keep Hens and Raise Chickens!!
BackYard Chickens › BYC Forum › Raising BackYard Chickens › Chicken Behaviors and Egglaying › Pyjama party and pooping in the nest box!