‘problem’ with a hen sleeping in nest box.

[aart]

Without more space for more flexibility I think you're just going to have to wait it out and hope she figures out a way to fit in. As long as the poop board is cleaned daily her sleeping there shouldn't be an issue, I have more than a few birds who prefer to sleep right on the board despite other options.

 

[Pennys Mama]

No, I haven’t tried a divider. I did make another roost on another spot. But none of the chickens like to roost there.

I can make a divider in the small coop. Hope this will work. Thanks for the idea.

You can see the wire divider on my roosts, it stops the older hens from trying to rid the roosts of the young &/or juvenile. It's amazing how mean those hens can be. I've given exceptionally honery hens "time-outs" when they won't stop. A night alone in an isolation pen has changed a few behaviors.

 

[BDutch]

Without more space for more flexibility I think you're just going to have to wait it out and hope she figures out a way to fit in. As long as the poop board is cleaned daily her sleeping there shouldn't be an issue, I have more than a few birds who prefer to sleep right on the board despite other options.

Got the advice not to interfere. Therefore I let the pop door open and now Janice prefers sleeping in a nestbox in the small coop. One 1year old hen (Tel) sleeps on a high roost in the small coop. And the others in the bigger coop.

There is only one hen laying now (Cookie). As long as the days are short there is no problem at all. Janice sleeps in one nestbox and I put the fake egg in the other nestbox. Cookie prefers to lay next to another egg over laying next to chicken poop.

 

[BDutch]

You can see the wire divider on my roosts, it stops the older hens from trying to rid the roosts of the young &/or juvenile. It's amazing how mean those hens can be. I've given exceptionally honery hens "time-outs" when they won't stop. A night alone in an isolation pen has changed a few behaviors.
View attachment 1981741

Great coop you have. I think mine is too small for a divider. But you could also say I already have a divider because there are two coops.

 

[aart]

Had you tried to cover the nests?
I'd rather clean a poop board than a nest.

 

[BDutch]

The nestbox is more easy to clean because it has an easy to open lid. I take the poop out with a tissue.
For hygiene reason it is a better place to sleep for Janice. She can’t be pooped on her head in the nestbox.

The door to the poop board isn't that easy to open. And there are more poops on the board to eliminate. I clean the poopboard once a week. It doesn't smell because there is great ventilation.

 

[BDutch]

An update on Janice sleeping in the nest box:
She sleeps on the roost in the small coop since last week. Next to my one year old Cookie.

Happy end of story.