My 12 week old hens are sleeping in their nesting box. I really only want them up there to lay their eggs. Suggestions?
This happens when nests are open to pullets nowhere near laying. This also happens when the nests are positioned too high. A chicken roosts high but lays low. They are ground layers by instinct and high branches of trees roosters by nature. Copy what their instincts drive them to do. Close off those nest for now. They don't need them and all they'll do is poop them full at night.
I was going to say everything Fred said. =) Low nests, high roosts, restrict nests until your pullets (they're not considered hens until they are a year old) are very close to laying.
