access to nesting box

[Flower girls]

First post
Was curious if i should give the chickens access to the nesting boxes.
Chickens are 12 weeks old and i have the boxes closed off to them.
Any reason for that since they are not laying eggs yet or should they be able to sleep there and or get used to them.

thanks
REESE

 

[sourland]

The idea is to have them not sleep in the nest boxes because they will then poop in them. If the roosts are higher than the nest boxes, they will generally not sleep in the nest boxes.

 

[Flower girls]

Thanks
The roosts are higher.

 

[Ridgerunner]

You do not want them sleeping in the nests. As Sourland mentioned, you can get poopy eggs. You don’t want that.

I personally want the nests opened before they start to lay. That way, if they are sleeping in the nests I can fix the problem before I start to get poopy eggs.

Are yours currently sleeping in the nests? If they are tell us a bit about your coop, nests, and roosts. How high the roosts and nests are, how much roost space you have, how many chickens you have. A photo could help. Maybe we can help come up with a solution.

If they are not sleeping in the nests or don’t when you open them up, you don’t have a problem.