Access to nesting box

[sgoreco]

Hello All,

Someone told me the other day that, until they are of laying age, a hen should not have access to the nesting area of the coop. Is this true? I have noticed that one of the two (or both) are pooping a lot in the box. It is a box that is joined with the sleeping area. thanks for any insight!

 

[AlleysChicks]

I'm not sure. Mine have had access to the nesting boxes since they were 7 weeks old. I've not had any problems and they've been laying since December.

 

[Chickassan]

My hens are laying in a cat carrier where my youngest chicks sleep so everyone has access. No poop problems since mine like to crap in the feeder.

 

[NotSoChickenLove]

I think it's too avoid poopy eggs, from chickens also sleeping in the nest box. Mine sleep in their nest box. I don't mind at all that eggs are next to poop. Eggs can be washed before using! And I also clean their nest boxes daily since they like sleeping in them, so no particularly poopy eggs.

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

Except in a flock where you have laying and not yet laying birds, the simplest way to prevent nest sleeping and nest fouling is to block access. If there are actively laying hens, or if blocking them off isn't possible, go out at dusk and physically move any birds in nest boxes to the roost to show them where they are supposed to sleep

 

[Suzi18]

My 2 youngest girls sleep together in one of my 4 nestboxes. I don't mind at all. I clean out the poop every morning and I know when they are old enough and big enough they will join the older girls on the roost.

 

[Mrs. K]

I block mine off, as I don't like the poop in the nests. I just drape a towel over it when I go down just before dark. Then they find the roosts. Once they start on the roosts, the problem is mostly over.

 

[PD-Riverman]

Mine don't poop in the nesting boxes either-----because I do not allow them to roost in the nesting boxes even with 67 pens and probably close 150 nesting boxes(some pens don't have nesting boxes) at times----it ain't going to happen. But you can allow it if you want.