Sign of hens about to lay?

[citykitty]

I just have pine shavings in the nest boxes, should I switch to straw? Something else?

 

[BreanneRN]

All kinds of things can be used, I like to buy evaporative cooler pads (the kind with the shredded aspen) and cut them up. They don't get kicked or tracked out of the nest box like shavings always do. I am using them now for my baby brooder poultry too, they provide better footing and I don't have to pick anything out of the feeders and waterers, they last about a week (you can turn them over midway), and make cleanup so easy (you can just roll or fold them up and throw them in an empty feed bag and out to the trash or compost pile, though if they go in the compost pile you will have to peel off the mesh covering. So tired of the whole shaving thing where most of them are everywhere but where they ought to be.

 

[Elegantenvy]

One of mine just started laying. I did the squat test with her and I could tell she was getting close. Doesn't have interest in the nesting boxes though. I find her eggs in random places. Lucky you your girl knows where to go beforehand.

 

[PrincessLea2]

My pullets are about 4 months old and insist on sleeping in their nesting boxes. Combs aren't very red yet but starting to darken. I stopped filling the boxes with straw and they still try to sleep in there. They're stupid

 

[aart]

My pullets are about 4 months old and insist on sleeping in their nesting boxes. Combs aren't very red yet but starting to darken. I stopped filling the boxes with straw and they still try to sleep in there. They're stupid

They are not stupid.
It's bad habit that should be broken before eggs come.
Is your roost higher than your nests?
Either block the nests or put the bird on the roosts well after dark.

I hacked up a permanent hinged cover that is easy to employ and ready to go when ever I need it. I hatch chicks every year and it's handy if you have broody hen too.
Cover nests an hour before roost time, then uncover when you lock up after dark.

 

[PrincessLea2]

Thx for the tips. We do pick them up and put them on their roosts every night but it seems like they just won't learn. We have our pullets in a cheap old summerhawk Coop and the roosting bars are only an inch or two higher than the nesting boxes. I'm not sure how I could rig up a permanent wall but I probably could find a small piece of plywood and just shimmy it in front to block them off completely.
Silly bird brains

They are not stupid.
It's bad habit that should be broken before eggs come.
Is your roost higher than your nests?
Either block the nests or put the bird on the roosts well after dark.

I hacked up a permanent hinged cover that is easy to employ and ready to go when ever I need it. I hatch chicks every year and it's handy if you have broody hen too.
Cover nests an hour before roost time, then uncover when you lock up after dark.

 

[aart]

Silly bird brains

Quit blaming the birds when it's the coop that's the problem.
Wonders about the space to bird ratio of your coop.

 

[Jeggles]

i was wondering the same thing myself, my two barred rocks are approximately four months old so i hope we are getting close also!

 

[PrincessLea2]

It really is kind of a stupid coop lol! They are still pullets so not too big, there are 4 in there and it's rated for 4
It's probably partly design, partly bad habit because our hens who used it first never slept in the nesting boxes.

Quit blaming the birds when it's the coop that's the problem.
Wonders about the space to bird ratio of your coop.

 

[BreezyBre]

Complaining about the little free loaders must have helped a little ...got my first two this morning WOOT ! THANKS Bumble ( cuddle chicken )