Changing egg nest area

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Hi, I have a problem with chickens wanting to sleep in nest boxes. I pick them out at bedtime and put them on the roosts.
I have 11 Silkies including 1 Roo and 1 cockerel. I have a set up with 2 coops inside a covered sheltered area and a run attached. I was using one coop for broody mummas but now want to change it to a nesting coop and the other one just for roosting - in hope they wont keep going to the nest boxes to sleep. But do you think they will find where to lay? At the moment I have nest boxes attached to the main coop with roosts. So if I block those off will they find they venture into the other coop to lay? I also have had a few eggs laid under the roosts from a pullet so will this change confuse them too much and I'll find eggs everywhere?
Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

[Lobo123]

How big is the coop? Could be a lack of roosting space causing the chickens to use the nesting boxes to sleep.

You can block the nesting boxes when the evening approaches before they go to sleep. Once they have settled in well before dark, you can remove whatever blockage is the boxes to make them available for morning.

I actually had a similar setup. I had two coops available to the flock. They had their main coop where they rest, however, both coops had nesting boxes. (the secondary coop has more nesting boxes, while the primary coop has more roosting space). I know, crazy setup. Never had chickens sleeping in the secondary coop, but both coop always had plenty of eggs. Worked for me, could work for you.

 

[aart]

Both those coops look mighty small for 11 birds.
It's no wonder they are sleeping in the nests.

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

Both those coops look mighty small for 11 birds.
It's no wonder they are sleeping in the nests.

Could be too small... I have attached a pic of both coops, all of them all in the main coop with roosts, 1 in nesting box far end you can't see. I was thinking to completely enclose the sheltered area that those coops are in (at mo I have tarps on sides for wind/rain protection) then have a huge open roosting area. I did have 23 chickens last spring since they multiplied so I may end up with that again

 

[ForTheLoveOfSilkies]

How big is the coop? Could be a lack of roosting space causing the chickens to use the nesting boxes to sleep.

You can block the nesting boxes when the evening approaches before they go to sleep. Once they have settled in well before dark, you can remove whatever blockage is the boxes to make them available for morning.

I actually had a similar setup. I had two coops available to the flock. They had their main coop where they rest, however, both coops had nesting boxes. (the secondary coop has more nesting boxes, while the primary coop has more roosting space). I know, crazy setup. Never had chickens sleeping in the secondary coop, but both coop always had plenty of eggs. Worked for me, could work for you.

ok yep I could try that block idea and I need to modify coop area for more roosting space if it's too small. Also the nests are same level as roosts so probably not helping the situation.