all sleeping in one nest box...

[LisaMarie81]

Fast forward....a month down the road. I blocked off all nesting boxes for the past month. Birds are 16 wks now so I decided I better open the nesting boxes as all birds lay at different times. took the block off, added some hay, added a "fake" egg for the future. Whelp....all 8 of the damn birds are again sleeping IN the nesting boxes! Grrrrrr.. They have multiple roosts in and out of the coop and plenty of room, but insist on all 8 of them cramming their feathery bodies at the coop door and in a nesting box next to it (and yes, there is PLENTY of ventilation....so that's not an issue). I am not getting it. My birds have zero desire to roost and wish to sleep as a large lump together wherever they can. Last hope that this will change when they start to lay. very frustrated

 

[Susiezapponi]

My chickens are so mean to the smallest hen and I hate it. I want to get rid of them because it’s ugly. They are a year old, Rhode Island Reds, there is 6 of them. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Fast forward....a month down the road. I blocked off all nesting boxes for the past month. Birds are 16 wks now so I decided I better open the nesting boxes as all birds lay at different times. took the block off, added some hay, added a "fake" egg for the future. Whelp....all 8 of the damn birds are again sleeping IN the nesting boxes! Grrrrrr.. They have multiple roosts in and out of the coop and plenty of room, but insist on all 8 of them cramming their feathery bodies at the coop door and in a nesting box next to it (and yes, there is PLENTY of ventilation....so that's not an issue). I am not getting it. My birds have zero desire to roost and wish to sleep as a large lump together wherever they can. Last hope that this will change when they start to lay. very frustrated

Continue to block off the nest in the afternoon and open it up again in the morning.
Are roosts significantly higher than the nest?

My chickens are so mean to the smallest hen and I hate it. I want to get rid of them because it’s ugly. They are a year old, Rhode Island Reds, there is 6 of them. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated

RIRs tend to be bullies, especially in a mixed flock.

 

[Shorty22366]

Fast forward....a month down the road. I blocked off all nesting boxes for the past month. Birds are 16 wks now so I decided I better open the nesting boxes as all birds lay at different times. took the block off, added some hay, added a "fake" egg for the future. Whelp....all 8 of the damn birds are again sleeping IN the nesting boxes! Grrrrrr.. They have multiple roosts in and out of the coop and plenty of room, but insist on all 8 of them cramming their feathery bodies at the coop door and in a nesting box next to it (and yes, there is PLENTY of ventilation....so that's not an issue). I am not getting it. My birds have zero desire to roost and wish to sleep as a large lump together wherever they can. Last hope that this will change when they start to lay. very frustrated

Haha
Mine did it. I move boxes away from door and just let them sleep in the boxes
Once they started laying they started roosting and only hens would lay eggs in boxes
It is frustrating but they will work it out. Patience.

 

[LittleMissCountry]

I had one that started up sleeping in there again. I started laying a board across the boxes before they went to bed, then opened it in the morning. She stopped. Good luck! I still have one chicken at 6 months old that still won't roost, but she sleeps under the roosting bars at least.