Chickens eating shavings

[tquadchicken]

I recently put wood shavings in five-gallon nesting buckets and its turned into a buffet for my birds. They're not laying yet (anyday though) and I'm tempted to dump the shavings and get nest pads but I want to wait a bit longer. The thing is they don't go into the nest, they just get on the perch, lean-in and start eating.

Has anyone experienced this?

 

[lambchicks]

My 5.5 month olds do that! Some have been laying a couple of weeks. Some have not layed yet.
I also put some hay in the nesting box, layed a piece of split wood on the hay so they would pull it out, they ate a hole in the piece of wood. I guess they need more fiber in their diet

 

[Den in Penn]

Pullets will often investigate the nests before they lay. Rearranging the nesting materiel and throwing it around is normal. I had to reload mine. As to them eating it, I was going to say that maybe they didn't know what the shavings where and thought the nests were some kind of new feeder. But you probably use wood shavings for bedding on the floor.

 

[gingerpeach22]

Mine always ate shavings when I put a new batch on the floor. Don't know why.