3yr old hen sleeping in the nesting box

[rcm1201]

Out of nowhere 1 of my 7 hens started sleeping in the nesting box. I assumed it’s because sleeping quarters were getting tight so after a couple weeks I added another perch. Now I go out there nightly and put cardboard on the nesting box so the hen won’t jump in to go to sleep there. How long will I need to do this every night?

 

[Chicken poppy]

Out of nowhere 1 of my 7 hens started sleeping in the nesting box. I assumed it’s because sleeping quarters were getting tight so after a couple weeks I added another perch. Now I go out there nightly and put cardboard on the nesting box so the hen won’t jump in to go to sleep there. How long will I need to do this every night?

How high is your perch? Chickens usually feel comfortable sleeping in the highest place at night. If the nesting boxes are higher than the perch that might be why

 

[BDutch]

Out of nowhere 1 of my 7 hens started sleeping in the nesting box. I assumed it’s because sleeping quarters were getting tight so after a couple weeks I added another perch. Now I go out there nightly and put cardboard on the nesting box so the hen won’t jump in to go to sleep there. How long will I need to do this every night?

To break a habit can take up to 6 weeks.
But a hen that goes to sleep in a nesting box can have a reason. Try to figure out what the reason is.
- broody (is she in the nestbox during the day too?)
- being bullied (look what happens at roost time)
- perches not high enough/too high (breed? how high?, photo?)
- perches too slippery , too round, too thick or too thin (photo ?)
- red mites in the roost area (look at night with a torch)

 

[Justagalwithchicks]

Is it cold where you are and is she molting? I had one of my hens recently do this in full molt. I placed her back up between her sisters after a couple of nights of this and she was fine. I think she was getting pushed to the end and not in the middle of the roost bar so was choosing the nest box for warmth.

 

[rcm1201]

How high is your perch? Chickens usually feel comfortable sleeping in the highest place at night. If the nesting boxes are higher than the perch that might be why

Nesting boxes are even with or below all 3 of my perches

 

[rcm1201]

To break a habit can take up to 6 weeks.
But a hen that goes to sleep in a nesting box can have a reason. Try to figure out what the reason is.
- broody (is she in the nestbox during the day too?)
- being bullied (look what happens at roost time)
- perches not high enough/too high (breed? how high?, photo?)
- perches too slippery , too round, too thick or too thin (photo ?)
- red mites in the roost area (look at night with a torch)

-Not broody, rarely in the coop during the day
-Not being bullied, there are two 3 yr olds (australorp) and five ~9 month olds (white rocks). She is one of the 3s and at the top of the order
-I had 2 perch levels (before just adding this 3rd to try to provide more room for her). One low one high. Nesting box is a little be lower than the "low" perch. I'll snap some pics during the day
-Standard 2x2 lumber, not round or slippery
-Unsure about mites
-Not too cold - I live in Louisiana. We've been in the 30s at night and this started weeks ago when we were in the 50s at night

 

[BDutch]

I can’t think of anything else.
Fyi: Mite eggs wont develop under freezing temp and the red mites die with such a cold. Do check when temps get higher in spring.

 

[Sally PB]

But a hen that goes to sleep in a nesting box can have a reason. Try to figure out what the reason is.

I've had a molting hen decide to sleep in the nest box. When they're covered with pin feathers and look like a porcupine, I let them stay there. It's sheltered, warmer, and nobody bumps into them.

 

[rcm1201]

Here is the pic of the coop. The bar closest to me was just added to give them more space

https://imgur.com/3DDeqFi

 

[BDutch]

Just a few ideas:
The roost are rather high for heavy chickens. Is the hen in question heavier than the other hens?
Are the edges on the bars a bit rounded/ sanded? Chickens don’t like it when the bars have sharp edges and it might cause foot injuries too.