Chickens Poop in Nest Boxes

[merrymutts]

Why do they do this ???

 

[BarredRockMom]

They are making eggs & occasionally they push hard enough & can't control exactly what comes out...so poo comes out too.

Other times, I think that they lie down and get so comfortable that when they have to go, they just do!

It means a bit of extra clean up for us but hey, whatever makes them happy.

 

[BarredRockMom]

And lots of people have differing opinions about chickens sleeping in the nest boxes. Personal, I have a few rules: 1) Don't hurt one another, 2) don't destroy the place & 3) don't eat the eggs. Other than that, have at it.

If someone feels more secure sleeping in a box v. the roosting bar, that's up to her.

 

[aart]

Why do they do this ???

Yes, sometimes the 'two way door' is not functioning properly and poop can come with the eggs.

Are they sleeping in the nests?
Not extra cleaning I want to do, so don't allow it.
Make sure there is enough roost space for all your birds,
and that roosts are higher than nests.

Knowing.....
-your flock size(numbers, ages, genders),
-your coop(size in feet by feet with pics),
...will offer clues to if there is a solvable problem.

 

[VictoriaTemple]

Mine do that too. They sleep in the boxes for warmth, my coop heater is too small. Hopefully they will stop doing that when warmer weather comes. I don’t particularly like picking up poopy eggs all over the coop.

 

[aart]

Mine do that too. They sleep in the boxes for warmth, my coop heater is too small. Hopefully they will stop doing that when warmer weather comes. I don’t particularly like picking up poopy eggs all over the coop.

Or maybe they are trying to get away from the heater?

 

[jreardon1918]

Nests are low. Roosts are high. The only hens in the nests are those actively laying. And occasional broody. I move broody's out quickly. We have very few messes to clean in the nests. Also no heater in the coop.

 

[Parie88]

Nests are low. Roosts are high. The only hens in the nests are those actively laying. And occasional broody. I move broody's out quickly. We have very few messes to clean in the nests. Also no heater in the coop.

How do you stop them from sleeping in the nesting boxes? It seems like out of the 4 boxes I have, only two are ever use as actual boxes and the other 2 seem to be sleeping boxes. I have varying aged birds so some lay and others don’t yet. I have no way to know who is messing and who is laying. I have many perches but for whatever reason they still love to sleep in there.

 

[jreardon1918]

How do you stop them from sleeping in the nesting boxes? It seems like out of the 4 boxes I have, only two are ever use as actual boxes and the other 2 seem to be sleeping boxes. I have varying aged birds so some lay and others don’t yet. I have no way to know who is messing and who is laying. I have many perches but for whatever reason they still love to sleep in there.

Our roosts are all above the height of the nest boxes by about 12". That probably helps. When we find an occasional girl in a nest at night we scoot her out. We shine in a flashlight to help her see the roosts and they generally fly up to the roost.

You could block the nests before night and open during the day. That could help training. Can all of the chickens get up to the roosts?

 

[Parie88]

Yes all the chickens can get up but I think the pecking order might have something to do with it. The older hens have a tendency to play the mean girls and not let the younger birds on the main roost. That’s why I have many to choose from but some nights they are all crammed on a tiny 3 foot perch and other nights I find them all around the coop on various roosts. Sometimes when I do my night check there are 3 or 4 girls all trying to sleep in one nesting box. They are odd creatures at times that is certain haha.