Are you having trouble with hens sleeping in your nest boxes??

[Balfour Girl]

I have a hen and two roosters who are staying in the neighbour's empty coop for the winter (we'll build our own coop in the spring). I got the roosters becuase a cold snap was coming and I didn't want my hen to freeze. The three of them cuddled in one nesting box through the entire cold snap, and now they're each in their own box. I don't mind so much because my hen is old and isn't laying any more and I know they're warmer in the boxes, but in the spring when we build and get more hens we will have to consider keeping them out of the boxes. And don't bother telling me that one rooster for 8 to 10 hens is the correct formula. I was desperate, and after a bit of a stressful month for my hen, she finally put her foot down and they don't love her to death any more! Of course now I feel sorry for the roosters!

 

[BawkinOnTheBench]

We had the same problem when our pullets moved into the big coop and it was getting cold. The older Leghorns would also chase them off the roost at night. Our nests sit in a 'bay window' extension. So we got a large piece of cardboard - it was two sides of a big box so it had the fold built in. Late in the afternoon we'd sit that on top of the nest boxes so it hung down over the nests. We did that for about 6 weeks, and every body has now learned not to sleep in the nest boxes. It also helped that we went to a ceramic heater bulb instead of IR - it puts out no light, so once it gets dark no one is picking on anyone else.