Chickens cleaning out my nest boxes

[Memeschix]

I tried fake eggs, then I tried golf balls. They were not one bit fooled. And you are right, sometimes they sit on top of each other or if desperate, just drop an egg in the doorway. My problem is that pretty soon now there will be 4 more teens that will start laying, total 11 hens a-layin.omg, I can just see the havoc now! Lord have mercy! What shall I do? I didn't realize what a problem I could have till I read this thread.

 

[aart]

I have had really good luck with these nests...or maybe just good luck<shrugs>

The nests are roomy 14x14x16",
(I found that the 5 gal bucket or 12x12x12" was a bit too tight for them to turn around in to get comfy),
but the opening is only a 10" diameter circle centered 7" from the top.

This leaves a big deep and curved lip to hold bedding inside, I use a 'flake' of straw which holds together well, and I kind of 'bowl it out' when I put it in there.

The 10" opening makes it harder for another bird to get it, and easier to defend another bird getting in.
I have a couple fake eggs and a couple golfs balls that I move around.

Tried leaving one partition out, as seen in the construction photo below, and the new rooster fit in there to show his girls where to lay, but I put the partition back in pretty quickly as they were not using that larger nest.

 

[GitaBooks]

Lovely hen! And nice nest boxes.

My roosters like to show hens where to nest also. It's really cute.