Pullets roosting in the nest boxes

[sideWing]

So I waited the 18 weeks for the pullets to mature and I pull the curtain off the next boxes. Next thing I know every pullet (20), but my wyandottes are roosting on, in, or above the 4 nest boxes. They have plenty of roosting space and seemed to be happy with the setup until the "premium" space became available.

What do you folks do to curb this or does the novelty wear off for them?

Not a single egg yet BTW.

 

[mexicanchickens]

Our chickens are doing the same thing! Some of them sleep in the nesting boxes and others on the roost. It seems like as the time goes on more sleep on the roost instead of in the boxes. Maybe it is just a novelty for them at first!

 

[mrsc1951]

Ours di the same thing. It's a bit time consuming but each night we would physically move them from the nesting boxes to the roosts. After a few nights they seemed to get the message and we've had no issues - that was four years ago.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

You can do one of two things without interfering with their access if/when one decides it's time to lay -- 1) cover the nest boxes about an hour prior to their usual roosting time or 2) go out at roosting time and physically move each bird back to the roosts from the nest boxes.
How is the interior of your coop setup? It maybe that the nest boxes are attractive not because they are new, but because they are actually more naturally attractive as a roosting space due to their location, height, etc in comparison to the intended roosts.

 

[sideWing]

You can do one of two things without interfering with their access if/when one decides it's time to lay -- 1) cover the nest boxes about an hour prior to their usual roosting time or 2) go out at roosting time and physically move each bird back to the roosts from the nest boxes.
How is the interior of your coop setup?  It maybe that the nest boxes are attractive not because they are new, but because they are actually more naturally attractive as a roosting space due to their location, height, etc in comparison to the intended roosts.

They are about the same height. I will try moving them after they perch and I'm going to add some higher roosts. The Sexlinks will get up as high as they can it seems.

 

[newmarch2014]

I have my roosts at last 12 inches above the nest boxes and once they leave the coop floor I have never had any try to roost there. The higher roosts are much more enticing to them. I was anticipating a problem so would have put a box in when I put them to bed and taken it out when I opened the coop in the morning but so far never a problem.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

They are about the same height. I will try moving them after they perch and I'm going to add some higher roosts. The Sexlinks will get up as high as they can it seems.

This is likely the contributing factor - instinct is to roost at the highest point possible, so when a new area opened up that was not definitively lower than the existing roost space it was attractive to them as a place to roost. Moving your roosts will likely help and be more effective than having to move them repeatedly.

 

[ChickenMammX4]

The roost in our coop is at least a foot higher than the nesting boxes, ours have never slept on/in them.

 

[sideWing]

This is likely the contributing factor - instinct is to roost at the highest point possible, so when a new area opened up that was not definitively lower than the existing roost space it was attractive to them as a place to roost.  Moving your roosts will likely help and be more effective than having to move them repeatedly.

That is a great idea. My roosts are all one piece. I'm going to move them up higher. You folks are awesome! Thanks. I will let you know how it goes.