BYC members in Massachusetts?

[Powerhour]

Sorry about the poor English my keyboard is acting up

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

Good morning. How old is your hen? And how is your coop set up. I haven't had a problem with the girls sleeping in the nest boxes, but sometimes they will hide from the rooster in them.

 

[Merrymouse]

This question probably belongs in the chicken behavior forum but I like to see the activity in our Mass. thread. Does anybody else have hens that sleep in a nesting box instead of up on their roosting bars and if so what have you done to stop the habit.
I have tried blocking the nest several times to force her to sleep elsewhere but she always resumes her bad habit. The broblem
Is the mess she makes in the nest which results in filthy eggs

I have never had a hen sleep in the nesting box until this year. A few of mine have been doing this lately. It started when they were molting. Maybe they are cranky during molt and dont want to roost with other hens... I would just go out after dark and push them out of the nesting box for a few night. I am also going to add another roost to my coop to see if that helps. Not sure this is helpful at all but you are not alone in this issue.

 

[Powerhour]

I have more than one that sleeps in the nesting box but the main culprit in an old very large hen who doesn’t like to fly and hits the ground with a thump if I don’t place her down gently.
I understand her not getting up on the roosting bars(2) but I need to keep her out of the box. The smaller and younger birds roost on the branches I have installed across the upper area of the coop about 18” over the floor. I spent weeks last summer blocking the box at night and opening it up again every morning
As soon as I stopped she moved back in. A lot of chicken keepers would have gotten rid of her by now but they are pets as much as egg providers.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I have more than one that sleeps in the nesting box but the main culprit in an old very large hen who doesn’t like to fly and hits the ground with a thump if I don’t place her down gently.
I understand her not getting up on the roosting bars(2) but I need to keep her out of the box. The smaller and younger birds roost on the branches I have installed across the upper area of the coop about 18” over the floor. I spent weeks last summer blocking the box at night and opening it up again every morning
As soon as I stopped she moved back in. A lot of chicken keepers would have gotten rid of her by now but they are pets as much as egg providers.

Does she have a ladder or ramp she can climb up to make it easier for her?

 

[Powerhour]

No ladder I should design something to that effect. She is a gentle giant I adopted a few years back.

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

No ladder I should design something to that effect. She is a gentle giant I adopted a few years back.

A ladder should help. I have 3 RIR’s that are not huge but weigh around 6 lbs. The older they get the less they like jumping down.

 

[Powerhour]

I will do that. Being a few years into retirement age I don’t jump down of anything anymore either.
Come on spring

 

[Wee Farmer Sarah]

I will do that. Being a few years into retirement age I don’t jump down of anything anymore either.
Come on spring

Me too! However I do trip and fall occasionally. Nothing broken yet.

 

[DellaMyDarling]

I'm thinking an adjustment of nest boxes, roosts, etc.
It appears my birds like nest boxes a minimum of 2' high. They ignore the lower nest boxes in line with the floor.
Most of the birds seem to like roosts a minimum of 2' high but also prefer them around 4 to 5', even the older heavy hens. Bantams naturally enjoy even higher roosting.
I am in need of building more roosts. I have, I think, overcrowding in the preferred spots, putting some birds on the edge of the nest boxes BLECH!